Between the Lines
by the Sly Eagle
Summary: SPOILERS. Gameplay suggested, otherwise, you probably won't get it. This is a novelized explination of the entire game, the parts that were not included in the gameplay. These are my ideas about the plot holes. Status: COMPLETE!
1. Farewell, Brother

betweenpart1

After you've played all there is to a Final Fantasy game, you are still not quite finished with it. There is still the question in your mind, begging to be answered: why? Why? WHY? And if you're a bit of a fanatic, like myself, you start to _theorize_. And then, if you're an aspiring author, like myself, you try to visualize it. Then, if you happen to be myself, you write it out in novella form and see what other people think. I'm not saying I have the answers or anything, I'm just having _ way_ to much fun with this game. Already I have about 7,000 words worth (crappy pun) more, so this is just for openers. Oh, and please review...@_@  
  
With apologies to Hironobu Sakaguchi (may you live forever)--if I completely misunderstood this entire story, it is all your fault! Based on his concept. I do not own any of Final Fantasy IX; it is completely copyrighted to Square Electronic Arts. ...and apparently Coke (j/k goshdarnit!).  


  


Between the Lines

A collection of what went unsaid  


  
Time: Pre-disc 1, shortly after the destruction of Madain Sari, Gaia--center of the oceans  
  
The red light of the auxiliary power settled on the silence of the bridge. One boy struggled silently with wires; his counterpart struggled with thoughts. _So strange_, mused the one as he extracted his arm from the wall's interior. _Normally this is done the other way around…_ He glanced towards the front of the airship where the younger boy, merely a child at that, sat next to the pilot's controls staring blankly across the ocean. He had been sitting like that for nearly an hour. Not even had his blonde tail given so much as a twitch. The older boy shrugged, tucked some loose strands of silver hair behind his ear, and turned his attention back to the loose wire. His counterpart was never this quiet; he was going to enjoy it while it lasted.  
However, three minutes later, the wires confused him again. He had disconnected three others to find this one…but where did the three belong in the first place? He set down his…his…whatever-the-freakish-tool-was-called, and untangled his other hand from under the plates. He looked behind himself and glared angrily at the pilot-boy, who still had not moved. _You little moron_, he thought, _I want to think while you handle this mess! It's your job anyway…I'm the one with the brains remember?_ He turned around again. He didn't dare disturb Zidane. Not after what he just saw…  
_Those…those…eidolons? Yes, that's right. The eidolons are what Garland was afraid of. I'm certain of that. Still…why…no. If Garland knew that Zidane could do that…_He closed his eyes, recalling what had just happened.  


***  


They had waited for the primary burn from the _Invincible_ 's main weapon to cool down a bit. Their orders had been to use it again…but it wasn't working. So he decided to go down and finish the job himself. The little guy came with him. And, sure enough, there were survivors, and the survivors attacked. At first, it was child's play. Literally. The Gaian tribe attacked them with crude swords and staffs and whatever was lying around. Zidane had simply whipped out his ultima weapon and made sport of them, halving any makeshift weapon that came too close. He just stood by and let his younger brother have his fun, although he did cast Reflect on the both of them…just in case. The Gaians withdrew for a moment, and he considered just finishing them off. That was when Hell broke loose. Again, literally. Right under their feet, for that matter. At first he was just knocked off his; then there were the flames. He ran to get clear and looked back to find his younger brother, but only to see the largest, most hideous creature he had ever seen. And it roared at him. He spotted Zidane lying on the ground a ways off, but his attention was soon returned to the monster, which was walking straight at him. He started backing up, completely unsure of what to do, increasingly becoming afraid. The monster roared. The Gaians cheered. He knew no water moves. And then he saw a brilliant flash of light coming from Zidane's direction. Both he and the monster looked to see the little boy standing now and glowing pink. He shouted at the beast who roared and charged him in return. The fire eidolon did not get far. A thousand glowing 9's came out of nowhere and attacked it…and it disappeared. The boy did not stop. He angrily turned his gaze upon the measly group of summoners. The word "landscaper" in ancient Terran hung in the air above their heads for a moment before dropping to the ground beneath them. In a brilliant dance of light they and the immediate area were annihilated.  


***  


_Garland did say he'd be able to use dyne…but he'd have to mature first, right?_ He glanced at Zidane again. _ Maybe that Ifrit creature is not a very strong eidolon…that might account for something. Maybe…_He shook his silver mane and picked up the wires again. _The dyne…it makes no sense. Maybe I'm thinking too hard…_The wire sparked in his hand. He dropped it with a small cry that echoed throughout the ship. The blonde did not even flinch. The spark was gone…as if it had never existed. _Like the pink glow. Was it…maybe…Trance?! Could Zidane use raw dyne when in trance?_ The more he thought about it, the more it made sense. _Maybe…Garland must not have known that Zidane had the ability to trance. I can't let him know then…because it seems trance is more powerful than the eidolons, which he fears…but…_  
"Do you remember my garden?" The voice made Kuja jump. Brushing silver locks from his eyes, he glared back to see that the child still had not moved.  
"Yes," he finally answered. _How could I forget? It's the only thing you've ever gotten in trouble for!_  
"I like plants…" Zidane's little voice trailed off.   
"Enough to create seeds in the genome lab," Kuja cut in with a half-smile.  
"We-ell…"  
"And then plant them in a sealed, off-limits storage block."  
"They got more CO2 there!"  
"I was surprised that he didn't discard you right then and there," Kuja snorted.  
"He wouldn't do that…"  
"Hmph," Kuja went back to the wires. One of them went live, but he caught it and pulled it out. Zidane turned around.  
"Why do you bother? You know you'll only make it worse."  
"It's broken, and I don't see you doing anything to help," he said tossing down another tool he did not know how to use in disgust. Zidane faced forward again.  
"I was thinking…"  
"About plants?"  
"Um…yeah…a little, I guess," Zidane turned around and leaned against the railing.  
"You've been sitting there," Kuja stood up, "for a whole hour, while I burnt my hands and got shocked…and you were thinking about _plants_?!" Zidane looked up to meet his eyes only to feel the same anger and hatred from them as so many times before.  
"You never take me seriously," he said softly.  
"Try to be taken seriously." Kuja looked back into the hole in the wall and eventually started working at the wires again. Zidane watched him for a while, but then looked back out to sea. Some sea animal surfaced and swam there for a while. Zidane rotated the ship to watch it, making Kuja drop something.  
"Arrrgh! Zidane? What are you doing?!"  
"Do you know why I like plants?"  
"Oh, for crying in the…"  
"It's because they're alive." Kuja looked at him for a minute. _Great. Now, when I'm fit to kill him, he wants to talk…what? Philosophy maybe?_  
"Could you give me a hand?" he inquired. _Say it, Zidane. Come on…ask me "Which one?"_ Instead, he only nodded and came over. Without a word, he picked up the discarded tools and started reconnecting the wires without even bothering to untangle them. A few minutes later, he was piling everything back into the wall; and when he had finished, he reached inside and did something that Kuja could not see. A faint humming sound came from somewhere deep in the bowels of the _Invincible_ . Seconds later, he could see the glowing of the main weapon, meaning it was on standby.  
"I hate you," he said as Zidane slid the last plate seamlessly into place and smoothed it over with his hand.  
"I know," he answered glumly. He walked back to the front of the ship and sat down. A moment of silence ensued.  
"So, if you knew what the problem was, why didn't you just fix it before?" Kuja asked, leaning against the wall. _Something is wrong…_ Zidane looked at the floor.  
"I was curious, I guess," he replied. "I-I kind of wanted to go down"   
"Me too." Zidane looked back at him, his eyes wet. This startled Kuja; he had never seen his younger brother like this. _What is going on? You're normally __sickeningly cheerful. Did Ifrit or…the trance maybe? Nothing ever seemed to get to you._  
"Are you…are you alright?" Kuja shifted his position.  
"Why? You don't care. You don't care about anything. Not anything." _You're normally so animated. Always such a child…where did this come from?_  
"What exactly do you mean by that?"  
"Kuja, have you even given a thought to what just happened?"  
"Of course I have. I spend most of my time thinking."  
"Really," Zidane looked at him again. "We just…we just…"  
"Followed orders?"  
"Destroyed an entire city," Zidane finished. "I killed a group of people. Real people with thoughts and-and feelings…" _That's what's bothering you?! But you __did it so easily, so flawlessly. You did as you were created to do and…you regret it? You wanted to come, Zidane. You begged. You pleaded. You wanted to do this. Just as you always did as Garland wished. You always believed in this__ ._  
"We are angels of death, Zidane," Kuja replied, "You told Garland you would be. I saw you with my own eyes."  
"I love life," Zidane said as he went up to the main display. "And Terra is…has always been…so dead. I wanted Terra to be alive…and I was willing to kill to see that happen. And that's what Garland said was necessary."  
" 'Death is part of life; killing is part of living,'" Kuja quoted his maker.  
"Yes, important parts," Zidane laughed bitterly. The sound made Kuja shiver._ That sounded too much like myself._ An awkward silence filled the bridge. Finally, Zidane placed his hand against the image of the planet beneath them and spoke again.  
"This planet…this planet is alive. It is full of life; we have no right to take it. It…I'd say it has a right to live. Just as…we have a right to live." At this last part, he looked his elder brother straight in the eye. _You are starting to get very bold. Either you are comfortable that Garland is a world away or you really trust __me._  
"Does it matter? What you would say?" Zidane looked out over the ocean again.  
"Yes," he replied. "Yes it does." _ Or maybe a little of both_, Kuja thought. _This could complicate things a bit_. "So alive…" the child murmured as he watched a school of fish jump at a stray sunbeam that found its way through a cloud of mist. He laughed softly, "I think I love this planet."_ Or it could complicate things a lot. However, he did defeat an eidolon. When this dyne thing matures a bit, he could be very useful against Garland. He's already showing signs of rebellion…_Kuja's thoughts were interrupted by the realization that Zidane was staring at him.  
"What now?"  
"You don't understand," Zidane sighed. "You don't understand at all."  
"Maybe…maybe not," Kuja turned his back to the screen. "So…now what?"  
"I guess we have to go back."  
"No…we can stay here."  
"I refuse to be Garland's angel of death." _Uh-huh_.  
"Isn't that against Garland's wishes? His Orders?" Kuja looked at him from the corner of his eye. Zidane looked right at him.  
"Who cares about his orders? You?"  
"Oh, no. I don't care about anything, remember? But I do want to stay here."  
"We can't stay here…I-I can't…be a bother to these people." _Oh? You never minded being a bother before_ .  
"If you go back, he'll kill you. You know that."  
"It's a chance I must take."  
"There is no chance, Zidane. You go back, tell him he's wrong, and refuse to work for him? He will kill you, end of story." _Or he might erase your memory, like he has mine several times. After that, you might as well be dead__._  
"Well, that's life." _I started to forget what an idiot you are._  
"Try this: we stay here, pretend to follow his orders, but all the while getting stronger…and then, when we're good and powerful, we go back and kill him. Hmm?"  
"Would you stop treating me like an idiot?! We would have to carry out his orders for years! He'd know if we didn't!" Zidane sighed and stared off to the horizon. He trembled for a moment; the tears accumulated at the corners of his liquid-blue eyes. "I don't want to kill Garland…I just refuse to hurt this planet any more. If he kills me? Fine. I just don't want any more people to suffer." _You're hopeless, you're not working with me, and you are still on Garland's side? I'm sorry, Zidane, but that's a triple threat. You are truly his perfect little angel. I can't afford to even keep you around…much less let you give Garland anything. Now either you're pretty confident that you can beat me or you really don't think I'm going to attack you. Oh yeah, you might be too stupid to consider either_. He glanced at Zidane who glanced back at him. Then he considered his options, staring off to the rear of the ship at the red light from the main weapon while Zidane collected his thoughts by staring at the blue of the ocean. Suddenly, an odd thought occurred to his mind that nearly made him smile. He liked it.  
"Hm," was all he said as he left for the rear of the ship. Zidane watched him go before sitting down in front of the screen. Kuja returned to his quarters and sealed the door out of habit. He opened the secret hatch that was under his mattress and removed the…thing. _I really hate not knowing technical stuff sometimes. And now is not the time to start scorning those who might need it_. It did not matter that he did not the name for it; he knew what it did. After the second time (or maybe third? He couldn't remember!) Garland had it used on him, he stole and hid it. He later found out that Garland did not even need it to erase his memory, but luckily he did not find this out the hard way. For a moment, he simply stared at his old enemy, trying to make himself believe it could be an ally. _All I have to do is restrain him for a minute and get this thing on his head. Then it's all over. Let's see…the generator thing is not nearly as portable as the gadget, and it's in Bran Bal…but it looks like I can power it manually. I should have more than enough power on me…hahehe--maybe I should ask Zidane!_ He went back to the bridge to find Zidane still in front of the monitor.  
"Say, Zidane," he said in a casual tone. "Do you think I could power this manually?"  
"What?" Zidane turned around, looking genuinely annoyed. When he saw the object in question, however, his expression changed completely. "THAT?!" _Ah, shoot! He knows what it is?_ In a flash, Zidane was at the pilot's controls and the _Invincible_ jumped to a racing start. The sudden change of motion knocked Kuja over and sent him sliding out of the bridge. He managed to grab a railing just before he might have tumbled down the stairs. _I swear Zidane! You and your stupid action complex…argh! You make me sick_. Actually, Kuja was starting to get sick. He always had found automatic motion nauseating, and the way the little genome was flying did not help at all. Resisting the urge to vomit, Kuja slowly got up and made his way to the engine room. There was only one thing he knew how to do in there, and that was to cut the power. Which is what he did. The entire ship began to dim and he could feel it descending, faster and faster, until it… suddenly drifted out and settled on the sea. Kuja stood up from his braced position.  
Nice save, Goldilocks, He spoke directly into the pilot's head. You'll make an excellent airline pilot someday.  
No thanks to you, sunshine. Kuja received an image of Zidane sticking out his little pink tongue. Kuja smiled. He completely ruled the advantage now. They were floating in the middle of an ocean, so Zidane could not just leave; the power was out, so he could neither move the ship nor call to Terra; and in order to restore power he would have to come to the engine room, where Kuja was. Kuja picked up a stray tool belt and put his equipment in it. _ Well, here's hoping this works…and hoping he can't trance out twice in a day_. He peered out into the hallway and, finding no sign of his target, went out and up to the main deck. Again seeing no sign of his counter part, he raced up to the bridge entrance, where he assumed a battle position before cautiously entering. Zidane was at the controls, also in a fighting stance.  
"I see it this way, Zidane," he said as he slowly moved toward the boy. "Either you can bend to my will…or you can drown. The choice is yours." Zidane's frightened eyes met Kuja's cold ones. He knew there was no way he could fight off Kuja, because he was three times as big and had a wide variety of magic.  
"I don't like those options," Zidane replied as he quickly slid under the rail and backed up to the very front of the ship. _Great, thought Kuja. I can't let Zidane get by me now or I'll be chasing him all day, and he can run all day because five-year-olds always have more energy than they could ever possibly expel. And I have to remember his speed; even though Garland was always bragging about it, he never exaggerated about it_. Kuja moved up to where Zidane had been and looked down at him. The little genome was ready to split the moment he made a move for him, so instead, Kuja simply stepped off the platform and stood ready several feet in front of the trembling child.  
"I'd like to introduce you to an old _friend_ of mine," he cooed in a satin voice. Zidane's tail started lashing around like an agitated cat's. Kuja realized it was a ruse just in time to shift his attention to Zidane's torso, therefore seeing which way he was about to dodge. _Left_! In the same instant one darted and the other dove. In the next instant, Kuja had tackled the younger genome to the ground. Zidane's head hit the stair when they landed, stunning him, which made it easier for Kuja to secure a strong grip on the little body. When Zidane began to struggle, the older genome shoved the younger one's back into the wall and put his weight to use. Laying one knee across Zidane's legs and pressing the other against Zidane's chest, he managed to free up his hands to get out the device. The tears that had threatened to flow so many times that day finally spilled out from their aqua blue birthplace over Zidane's round cheeks.  
"No! Kuja, please…please, no!" he begged through tremulous lips. "I'd-I'd rather die than…than _lose_ myself like-like that!"  
"Yes, I feel that way too," Kuja grabbed Zidane's face and felt the warm wetness run over his fingers. "Only I don't want to die. That is why I am doing this." He slid the thing over Zidane's head as the child began to struggle again. He grabbed both of the little hands in his and was surprised at the strength with which they fought back.  
"You are only making this harder on yourself," Kuja said as he tried to work around the tiny spasms of strength. "I mean it. There is no point in resisting." The resisting immediately intensified. "Stop it, Zidane!"  
"Make me!" he shouted back. Kuja hit him in the face, harshly knocking his head against the wall. Zidane cried out in pain, sending sharp echoes back and forth across the voiceless bridge. Kuja quickly switched one of Zidane's hands into his other and shoved the triad of hands under Zidane's chin, holding his head more or less in place. With his free hand, he affixed the equipment to the back of Zidane's head, his ears, and his temples. Zidane's tears ran over his hand and down his arm as he charged the machine with his own power.  
"Look at me, Zidane," Kuja sighed as he watched the little genome's expression go from angry to helpless. The helplessness intrigued him. _Is that how I look?_ "I'm just a defect, a genome whose genes did not do as his creator first intended them to. I am a genetic mistake that he happened to find a use for. But as soon as I am useless, he will destroy me. Zidane, do you see where I am coming from?"  
"Kuja, I come from that place too."  
"You do not. You are perfection. Exactly what Garland had in mind…"  
"And that is why you hate me," Zidane sighed, closing his eyes. "Please don't do this to me…it's not my fault. I…I didn't…want this."  
"You think I did?!"  
"Please…I was made this way. My will meant nothing to Garland…"  
"And it means nothing to me," Kuja said. Zidane opened his eyes and looked them into Kuja's. Kuja could feel the sting of his own words through those eyes; he could feel the chill of them in his chest. However, he took advantage of the opportunity and raised the final part of the apparatus to the place where their eyes met. Closing his eyes, he triggered the operation and a blinding flash of blue light illuminated the bridge and was gone, just like the small cry that came with it. Zidane's body jolted beneath Kuja's weight and went limp. With that, the process was complete. Kuja let out a long sigh of relief. Yeesh, finally…He looked at the slumped form against the wall and felt like slumping himself. _Kids…they really take it out of you_. He gently removed the contraption from Zidane's head and even more gently wiped the drying tears from his face.  
"It's really strange…looking at you and knowing you're just unconscious, but, at the same time, also knowing you're gone." He stared at his little brother for a moment before laying the kid down on the floor, tucking one arm under the head. He went back into the engine room to restore the power. When the auxiliary red lights had brightened into the normal lighting, he went back to the brought up a map of the world on the display. They were pretty close to the most populated continent. He saw a place where the river met the ocean. That spot was not terribly far from several civilizations. Kuja glanced at the unconscious genome. For some reason, he wanted him to survive. He considered his location again and decided that from there, Zidane would be fine on his own. He punched the location into the navicomputer and let it do the work from there.  
Kuja walked over to the wall and slid down it to a sitting position next to Zidane, where he relaxed a moment. Eventually, he looked down at the little face and wondered if he would miss him. _You're annoying, you're stupid, and I hate you…but…for some reason…I fear parting will be hard. Why? I don't know…there is no reason for it. I'll be rid of many problems now that I'll be rid of you…and it's not like I owe you anything. Sure…we confided in each other, but only because it was just us…because we were different from the others. Kuja slowly reached out and put his fingers into the baby-soft strands of tawny, dusky blond. But we're also different from each other. I never understood you, and you never understood me. There was always a fight, a tension…we never got along. Never. Why should I miss you? What is this affiliation I have to you?_  
The ship slowed to a stop. Kuja looked out at the display. It was nearly midday here. Zidane would awake soon. Gently, again, he scooped his counterpart into his arms and made his way out to the underside exit. He took a breath as he set the tiny body onto the circular red pattern that would transport him to a new world. He looked at the little face once more, missing the bright blue-green eyes for they were closed. Finally, he bent his head close to the ear.  
"I leave you your name," he said aloud. "Farewell, Zidane Tribal." With that, he activated the portal, and watched Zidane's body become green streams of data that seeped out of the ship through the center of the circle and were gone. "Until we meet again."  
  
  
AN: yes, I am aware that some of that was really corny, but I'll probably touch it up after I go through Disk 3 again; so, if you noticed any mistakes, please tell me. Oh, and thanks so much for your time..."You have my gratitude." -Garnet til Alexandros the 17th  



	2. Beginning Anew

betweenpart2 I finished reformatting this bit, so here it is. Oh, and parts in italics for no apparent reason are the characters' thoughts, although you probably figured it out by now.  
The disclaimer from the first chapter applies throughout.  
  
*Some ocean, shortly afterwards  
  
Jane removed her hood and cape and gently wrapped it around her shivering, sleeping daughter. She sat back into the boat and stared at little Sarah's face for a while. Then she looked around to see only ocean, miles and miles of endless sea. The little boat had been badly damaged in the storm, so she could not control where it drifted, and they had no food and very little water. She looked down at the little girl again as she remembered the horrific events of only several hours past. She shuddered to think of what may have happened to her friends, her parents, her husband… She smiled, however, at Sarah, who groggily was sitting up.  
"Mama, I'm thuwsky," complained the four-year-old girl. Jane had already made up her mind. No matter what happened to her, she would make certain that Sarah would survive. She passed the single canteen to the chubby, rosy hands.  
"Don't spill," she reminded, "and don't drink very much…we need to save it."  
"Alwight." The girl daintily took three sips from the canteen and returned it to her mother. "Theywe, see? I did it."  
"Very good, honey," Jane took back the canteen and stowed it in a safe place, ignoring the dryness in her own throat.  
"Mama?"  
"Yes?"  
"The big eye wasn't an eiwdillon. What was it?" Jane did not want to discuss it with her daughter.  
"What makes you think it wasn't an eidolon? Silly," she ruffled the dark hair that matched her own.  
"'Cause it was scawy," the child answered. "Eiwedillons ahwe fweindly. Theywe nice."  
"Not all eidolons are friendly. Many are fierce."  
"The eye was scawy," the child persisted. "It was a big, angwy red eye. Why did it buwun the viwadge, Mama? Mama, why?"  
"I don't know, sweetheart," she rubbed her head. "I just don't know. I don't think it will be back." Jane was starting to feel afraid.  
"Weally? Weally, Mama?" the little girl hugged her.  
"I think so, Sarah. Mama's tired. Why don't we sleep?"  
"I'm not tiwed, Mama," the girl said, hiding a yawn.  
"Hehe, yes you are…" Jane started humming the song before Sarah could object. And before Jane had even made it through once, the little girl was sleeping peacefully in her arms. But the peace stayed only in her arms; Jane was afraid for little Sarah, afraid that she could not keep her alive. And she had not even begun to live…  
  
  
*Meanwhile, Daines-horse Basin  
The boy opened his eyes slowly to find himself staring up a large nose. He was brought fully to his senses when the mouth connected to the nose blew rancid dog breath on his face. He quickly rolled over and started to bolt, when the creature savagely grabbed him by his left arm. He just as savagely kicked the beast in the throat. Its tongue popped out, releasing his arm. He got slightly clear and looked back. Three large, ugly wolf-like things were growling at him and moving now to surround him.  
"Back off, you monsters!" He yelled at them, backing off himself. One of them leaped at him, but he jump-kicked it in the face. Another one came at him from the side, but he dodged it, only to be tackled by the third. Quickly, although he did not know how it occurred to him, he grabbed each of the forelegs and split them apart, collapsing its chest. It gave a half-yelp and went limp. The boy quickly got up to face the other two, only to see them running off towards a forest. He turned his attention to his arm, grimacing at the pain he had managed not to feel until then. He carefully touched some of the torn skin, pushing it all back into place. Blood seeped out of the bite marks to trickle down his arm, but the wound itself did not seem very deep. He tore the mangled sleeve off of his shirt and wrapped it firmly but gently around his forearm. Then he looked around. He could see a river not very far off, so he made his way over to it. The atmosphere was enveloping, silencing; the Mist was damp. The clammy wetness of it clung to the boy's skin and clothing, as he made his way down the riverbank. Wearily, he dropped his face into the flowing water. This woke him up.  
"Yeeeaaaaaaa!" he jolted upright, frantically shaking the water from his head. "Woooohaaaaah! That is _cold_ !" The air seemed to swallow his words, leaving him feeling rather uneasy. Gently, he unwrapped his arm and bathed it in the clean, icy water. Then he took the torn sleeve and wiped his face, arm, and hair dry. He then tore off his other sleeve and tore it into strips. After carefully bandaging his arm with the strips of clothing, he sat for a while to collect his thoughts. _This is weird_, he thought._ Okay, I know a lot of stuff, and I even know why, but who am I?_ He stared at the moving water, wishing he could see his reflection in it. _Oh_ _yeah! My name is Zidane Tribal. That's who I am. All right, now where am I?_ He thought about this for a while. The answer never came. _Okay, I have no clue__ where I am. That's no good, because how can I find a civilization if I don't know where to look? Are there any civilizations? There must be. How else can__ I be here…How did I get here? What's going on? What's wrong with me?!_  
Zidane sat for a while feeling very alone and very afraid. By and by, he calmed down and tried collecting his thoughts again. It was no use; he could not remember a thing, save his name. He closed his eyes and sighed, completely confused. _Maybe I'm sick? No, not likely. I'm not hungry or anything…_ He went back to the water and lowered his face to it, taking a few sips. It was almost too cold to drink; it made his forehead hurt with the chill. When it finally wore off, he tried thinking again, again to no avail. In utter frustration, Zidane threw his head back and screamed at the sky. The sky swallowed the scream, as if to challenge him to try again. The genome almost took it up on that challenge, but then he heard a noise that sounded like the roar of an ancient engine. He looked into the distanced sky and saw that it was indeed an engine…the engine of a flying boat. _Well, that's a good sign._ He watched it as it flew overhead and then broke into a run to chase after it. It moved quickly, high above the ground, and he soon feared he might loose it. He quickened his pace, paying no mind to the ache in his legs. He continued to chase it across the plains, ignoring his surroundings, the burn in his throat, and the misty chill on his skin. He followed it until he came upon a forest that had a cliff looming out of it. Panting for breath, he sorrowfully watched the airship sail over the high plateau.   
_Now what?_ Zidane was not willing to give up just yet. He went around the forest, watching the trees for more wolf things, but also watching the way the cliff seemed to rise above the Mist. _Could there be a civilization up there?_ he wondered. His question was quickly answered, because now he could see the base of the mountain. And at the base, he saw a large door. Excitedly, he ran over to it, but only to find it locked.  
"Hello?" he called out loudly, banging on the door with all his strength as he did so. No reply. "HEL-LOOOOO?!" he yelled as loud as his sore throat would permit and banged even harder with his fist. Again no one answered, and now his hand hurt. Angrily, he kicked the door so hard that some of it splintered. But there was no response from within. He sat down, sore and panting and cold. After he caught his breath, he looked back up at the cliff, his little eyebrows furrowed with determination. _Fine, ignore me. I'm not giving up._ He went over to the rocks next to the door and looked up far as he could see. The Mist shielded his vision from the top, so he had no clue how high it might be. Without a second thought, he loosened up his upper body and then began to scale the rock face. His left arm was sore from the beast's teeth, his right from the door pounding, and his legs from the prolonged running, yet he did not care. He continued to climb. And as the night began to settle around the mountain, chilling his already cold limbs, he still continued to climb, although not out of strength, he had long since spent that, but out of sheer willpower.  
However, it was getting hard for him to see his way, and already he was sore, hungry, thirsty, and most importantly tired. Deciding it would not be wise to continue, he began to scan the rock face for a place to rest for the night. The darkness of the sun setting did not scare him, however, for some reason it was strange. He did not think about it for long though, because his body was begging him to break from his ascension. He climbed a little further and he found a horizontal cleft in between the rocks that was more than big enough for his purposes. He slid into the space to find instant relief from the chilling wind. He lay on his side, curled up with his back to the wind as exhaustion consumed him. Although he shivered and ached, Zidane fell into sleep long before he could even think.  
  
  
*The _Invincible_: above the Forgotten Continent, the next morning  
Kuja awoke to glance at the time portrayed on the display in his quarters, and he glanced to find that he had slept a whole hour and a half more than he usually would. He smiled to himself. _So it's true. Knock out the competition, and you'll feel better already_ . He stretched his legs out of the bed, followed by his back, neck, and arms When he was standing up, he turned to fancy himself in the mirror. _ I am now the only angel of death, and I'm looking like it today_ . He made his way to the bridge to look outside. The daylight that streamed though was fresh, and though it was not real, only a projection of the real, it made Kuja feel as fresh as the new day.  
_A new day indeed, in which my long wait for vengeance begins to show a sprout. I do believe, Garland, that you went so far as to call him the Perfect Life-form, your ultimate work of perfection? See for yourself how easily I have defeated him! If a defect like myself can do that…what makes you so certain that you too will not pay for what you have done to me? What makes you so certain that I shall not make you feel every backhanded blow you landed on my cheek, every disgusted kick to my ribs? I shall not waste time with the repayment of your words…that would be the repetition of my lifetime. Today, Garland, I'll make a bid for my freedom…I'll begin to take back everything you have taken from me…and you cannot do a thing about it. My master, it is your turn to be helpless_. As if on cue, the telecommunicator called out across the deck of the airship. He considered leaving the thing to ring; one of the first things Zidane had done once they had control over the _Invincible_ was make it so that _only_ they had control over the _Invincible_. It had been Kuja's idea, but, strangely enough, the little one needed no further prodding than the idea. The "perfect" one's sudden willingness to disobey had caught him off guard, but had emboldened Kuja to begin his plans of revenge. His thoughts were interrupted by words of rage.  
Kuja! I know you are there, so answer NOW! _Right, what are you going to do, strike me?_ Kuja turned on the telecommunicator to find Garland's angry face glaring at him.  
"Here I am, see?" he bowed slightly.  
"What did you do with Zidane?! _He_ would never just leave the telecommunicator off like that! What are you hiding, you worthless defect?!" Garland demanded at the top of his lungs.  
"Pardon?"  
"There will be no pardons, Kuja! You had better answer me! WHERE IS ZIDANE?!" Garland's normally pallid skin was now a lovely shade of purple.  
"I haven't a clue," Kuja replied after a moment.   
"Haven't a clue?! Is he not on the ship with you?!"  
"He is not here, nor…anywhere else on the _ Invincible_ ." Garland may have been screaming in his face, but Kuja was thoroughly enjoying himself. Even if he could be beaten for it, he would never regret it.  
"What?! Where is he?! Did you not carry out my orders?!"  
"We destroyed Madain Sari, Master Garland," again Kuja bowed, "and did so quite handily at that."  
"So where is Zidane?!"  
"I haven't a clue…except that he's not here."  
"What did you do?!" Garland's veins began to stick out.  
"Oh, nothing much," Kuja shrugged. "I only dropped him onto the planet, that's all. He could be anywhere. He could be dead. I haven't heard from him since last night, so I don't know." After a moment of senseless sputtering, Garland finally managed to get a word out.  
"WHAT?!!"  
"What do you mean, 'what?'? That was all quite plain to me."  
"You dropped him onto Gaia? He's not ready to face the planet on his own! He's just a child!"  
"Oh, yes…I seemed to have overlooked that."  
"_Overlooked it_?!" Garland was obviously not fooled by Kuja's toying, but he was far too angry to toy back. And with his anger a world away…Kuja was quite pleased.  
"Ah, well," he waved an acquiescent hand. "Easy come, easy go they say. It's not as if I need his help or anything…I can-"  
"Easy come, easy go?! That's all you can say!! It took me five years to perfect his being, you useless idiot!"  
"What? You can't just replace him?" Garland did not answer; he only stared his rage and frustration over the monitor._ Was he really the best you could do? Was he really some miraculous accident you simply stumbled upon?_ The thought, combined with Garland's reaction or lack thereof, was simply too much for Kuja. He broke down from his calm, innocent demeanor and burst out in roaring laughter. Garland's expression rapidly darkened as Kuja struggled to gain control of himself. "Do you-hahaha-mean…to tell-hehehehaha…me…that he was…_ irreplaceable_? Haha…a genome…irreplaceable?"  
"Kuja, you had better get back here this instant."  
"Hahahahaha…the little rat…was honestly-hehehaha…the best you could do?!"  
"Kuja, I am warning you…" _This is so rich! Incredible, really…I had no clue that he was so important to you! Oh, don't thank me with this emotional gratitude, Garland, it was a pleasure, really, a pleasure!_   
"I'm sorry, Garland," Kuja managed to suppress a last chuckle. "I had no_ idea_."  
"You are not sorry at all, you-you mistake! I order you to come back here at once!" A sudden little voice, a five-year-old voice, echoed through Kuja's head.  
"'Make me,'" he simply quoted. A pause ensued. "Or have you realized that you can't?" Garland understood what he meant, obviously, for he said nothing for a moment.  
"What," he finally started, "do you intend to do on a planet that is destined to be assimilated?"  
"Exactly what you sent me here to do. I can handle this planet well on my own; I don't need the help of your precious, little piece of artwork."  
"You are woefully mistaken, Kuja," Garland sneered.  
"No, Garland, it is you that is woefully mistaken," Kuja challenged passionately. "And I intend to show you just how mistaken; just watch me."  
"What are you trying to prove, my obnoxious little defect?"  
"You'll know when it is proven," Kuja cut the transmission. "My fallen maker." _It begins now. First I take back my position, now I complete the purpose that was taken from me. Next, Garland…I intend to take back my soul. I want you to call me defect when you are sprawled at my feet like the writhing snake you are. My revenge will be complete. I will not settle for less, you that I hate._ Kuja returned to his view at the main screen. _Worthless planet, you are not worthy of my skills._ But in fact, Kuja knew that if he were going to defeat Garland, he would have to start now. It would take time…but time was something he was willing to give. He stood awhile in thought concerning the matter… _those eidolons…_  
  
A/N: the next part is almost finished, so check back soon!  



	3. Like Alice...

betweenpart3 Yay! Finally, I can put this baby up!! Enjoy, and more to follow...  
  
*That morning, the cliff-side  
Zidane easily spent an hour trying to move his sore, overworked muscles. He was hungry, thirsty, and even still drowsy; but he was not about to give up. After taking a full fifteen minutes to sit up, he peered up out of his sanctuary to see how far he had to go. The mist was much thinner now, and from the glint of the new sun off the rocks, he still had a ways to go. He began to work the feeling back into his shoulders as he looked down. This sight was encouraging; he had come a long way. He had now stretched his spine out, all the way from the base of his neck to the tip of his tail, and, kicking some kinks from his stiff legs, he slowly worked his way back onto the face of the cliff. And just as slowly, he began to ascend.  
Eventually, his limbs began to work and climbing became less tedious, but only slightly. However, he could feel the difference, and it was encouraging to him. It was almost as if his will could overtake and overcome physical difficulty. He no longer felt the pain; he had become quite used to it. Then…he broke through the mist. He blinked at the change in light and scenery and stopped to look around. He could see for miles around, below him he only saw the top of the strange clouds, but around him he could see numerous other mountains, some far off, some closer by. More importantly, he looked up into the sunlight, and by squinting, he could see the top of the cliff! It was still pretty far up, but he could see it! He doubled his efforts; out of some unknown reserve of strength and energy, he managed to start climbing faster. The rocks crumbled as he pulled himself over them, getting rock dust in his eyes and all over his moist skin. He began to sweat in the heat of his efforts and the glare of the sun. His throat began to parch. His arms all but refused to move and, several times, his knees buckled. But with one triumphant hoist, he brought himself off of the rocks and onto the live grass of the plateau. He dragged himself into the waves of green and collapsed.  
After lying there for a moment, he lifted his head to look around. He could see the signs of water not too far off and started to get up, but then he saw, in a slightly opposing direction, the largest structure he had ever laid eyes on. _That's an understatement_ , he thought as he looked up to its peak. He could see more flying ships coming from the distances toward the city, and he could see smaller ones circling the high center of the city itself. A massive wall surrounded the whole thing, _ no way am I climbing that too_. He slowly got to his feet and made his way towards the spring. Civilization could wait; he was in desperate need of water. After stumbling several times along the way, he found a stream, flowing gently out from between the rocks to deposit itself in a pool. Wearily, he deposited himself in the pool. Immediately, he jumped back out, shaking the water from himself frenetically.  
"Yeeeeeooooow! GOOOOD GRIEF!" he remarked as he shivered. "What is _with_ the water around here?" Despite the freezing affect it had on his skin, the water had a soothing affect on his throat. After he had drunken his fill, he lay down in the warm sun to dry off. He snoozed in the warmth for a while, resting his limbs. Several hours later, his stomach reminded him that it wanted a turn by growling noisily. He sat up again, his body not feeling nearly as stiff this time. He peeled the bandages off of his arm, to check his wound, and was pleased to find that it looked like it was starting to heal. He bathed it again and rewrapped it. Then he got up and made his way through the wild grass toward the city, the size of which only loomed up at him as he drew closer. After about half an hour of walking, he came upon a gate. It wasn't heavily trafficked, but there were plenty of people coming and going.  
"Well," he said under his breath, "here's hoping the natives are friendly." With that he walked through the gate, feeling desperately lost, but trying to look like he knew what he was doing, for pride's sake if nothing else. By and by he came through the tunnel to find two guards awaiting the entrance. They just seemed to be there, not doing anything in particular. Zidane took a breath and approached the more approachable of the two. The tall man didn't even notice him until he tugged gently at his tunic saying:  
"Um, pardon me." The guard looked down, somewhat startled.  
"Oh, I'm sorry…I didn't see you there," he smiled warmly at the little boy. "Can I help you, little guy?"  
"I hope so," Zidane answered. "Can you, um, tell me where I am?"  
"You're at the main gate, why? Are you lost?"  
"Yes. The main gate of where?" The guard looked at him and blinked a couple of times.  
"Lindblum…" he said, not certain if he had heard the question correctly. "I can probably help you find your way home…"  
"You'd have to know where my home is," Zidane shook his head. "And I don't think you do."  
"You could tell me…" the guard continued to look at him strangely. Zidane sighed and looked at the ground.  
"But I don't know, where I live…or where I come from." The guard got down on his knees and looked the child in the eyes.  
"Where'd you just come from?" he asked. _ Wow, he's really trying to help me…_  
"Over that cliff," Zidane watched the guard's eyes widen, as he continued. "I was in a field by a river and I got attacked by these wolf-monsters, and I saw an airship in the sky, so I followed it here."  
"You climbed over the cliff?" the man obviously didn't believe it.  
"It was hard, and my arms and legs really hurt from it…" Zidane explicated apologetically. The other guard was looking at him now.  
"What about the fangs?" he called over.  
"Pardon?"  
"Your 'wolf-like' monsters."  
"Oh…fangs…one of them bit me, but I'm okay." Zidane held up his left arm. The other guard was clearly surprised, but mostly skeptical.  
"Well, what are your parents like? What are their names?" the first one interrupted. Zidane thought about that for a moment. That he had parents did not occur to him before. After a moment he knew why.  
"I don't have parents," he answered. "I never did." The man looked very perplexed. He rubbed his temple.  
"Okay…do you have a name?"  
"Yes. My name is Zidane Tribal."  
"A strange name if I ever heard one…" muttered the other guard.  
"Hush up!" the nice guard shouted back. Zidane smiled slightly. "Hello, Zidane. My name is Edgar. My shift will be up in about fifteen minutes. If you just wait right over there, I'll see if I can help you then." Zidane smiled broadly this time and bowed slightly.  
"Thank you very much, Edgar. This is very kind of you." Zidane walked over to the corner that Edgar had motioned to and sat down. As he sat there waiting, he listened to the two guards speak to each other in hushed tones. He doubted they knew he could hear them.  
"You gonna call the psych ward?" the other guy asked.  
"He's not crazy, he just needs a little help…maybe some food, rest, you know…" Edgar whispered back.  
"Hmph. I'd beat him for telling such wild stories."  
"For some reason, I don't think he's lying." The child held his breath during the moment of silence. It was strange, listening to people talk about him.  
"Maybe I should commit _you_ to the psycho ward." Eventually, two more guards came to relieve them. Edgar motioned to Zidane to follow him, which he did.  
"Are you hungry, Zidane?" he asked one the little one caught up to him.  
"Yes, very much so," he responded. "But you'd need some sort of monetary form to get food around here, right?"  
"Um, yeah…"  
"I don't have any, but I am willing to work for some."  
"No, that's okay. I'd be happy to just feed you," Edgar started up the street. "Besides, you don't look like you're old enough to work."  
"Oh."  
"So, what really happened to your arm?" Edgar asked. Zidane looked up at him with a hurt expression.  
"I told you; I got attacked by…fangs--he called them?"  
"Yes. Fangs."  
"Well, there were three of them; and one bit my arm; but when I kicked it in the throat, it let me go." Zidane decided not to tell him about the killing part; it did not seem like anyone would believe it.  
"Well, that was smart of you--up these stairs here," he turned into a building with a set of stairs going up on the outside. "I'm sure you've done enough climbing to last a lifetime, so you can handle these." Zidane was not sure if he was mocking him or not, so he simply followed him up the stairs without a word. When they reached the third floor, Edgar stopped in front of a door. Zidane looked back at the city. "Marvelous, isn't it?"  
"Yeah, it's…awesome." Edgar chuckled at that and opened the door. He waved Zidane to go in ahead of him.  
"Welcome to my humble abode," he continued to chuckle. _Humble is right_, Zidane found himself thinking as he looked around at the cheap furnishings and quaint décor. It wasn't at all what he was expecting in this city. "Make yourself comfortable; I'm gonna go find Jen and have her take a look at your arm."  
"Your wife?" Zidane asked before he could stop himself. Edgar smiled.  
"Yes, she is…and she's also a volunteer nurse at the clinic," he added as he went off to find her. Zidane looked around again before he settled himself into a cushy chair. He sighed and tried to collect his thoughts, again; and again, nothing was to become of them. He looked up as he heard voices and saw Edgar lead a gorgeous young woman into the room. She smiled brightly at him.  
"You must be…Zidane? Is that how you pronounce it?"  
"Yes, I am, and yes, it is," he smiled back. "So, you must be Jen."  
"That's right," her smile grew even bigger. "Eddie tells me that you're an orphan and you don't know where you came from."  
"Yeah…I guess," he answered softly. She knelt down in front of him and opened the bag she had been holding.  
"He also told me you were bitten by a fang? Would you like me to have a look?"  
"Sure," he held out his arm. She took it and sat down next to him on the corner of the chair. He watched her as she carefully peeled off his old sleeve to reveal the row of scabs. She looked a little surprised, so Edgar came over to look as well. Zidane smiled to himself. Maybe they'll believe me now.  
"Well, it's definitely a bite of some kind of large creature…it looks like it's healing pretty well. This might hurt but it will help." She pulled a small vial out of her bag and poured a little onto each of the marks. It did sting…a lot. Zidane grimaced and found himself tensing up, his tail swishing with irritation. Both members of the couple looked up at it, noticing it for the first time. Jen grabbed it, and Zidane recoiled.  
"What is this?" she asked, rubbing the appendage of blond velvet between her delicate fingers. His body shivered from the sensation as he yanked his tail away.  
"It's…my tail," he stated simply. Edgar looked embarrassed, probably because he had not noticed before. The pair looked at each other.  
"He could be the result of an odd pair," Jen said to Edgar. "That might explain something…"   
"It might explain a lot…" Zidane didn't ask what they were getting at. He didn't think they'd tell him anyway.  
"Could you, um…finish?" he asked timidly.  
"Oh!" Jen came out of her session of space exploration. "I'm sorry." She wiped his arm dry and wrapped it with clean material from her bag. "There you go. It should be good as new in a couple weeks, but I'll keep checking on it."  
"Thanks," Zidane smiled back.  
"So, when was the last time you ate?" she asked him.  
"I don't remember," he replied honestly.  
"Would you like to have dinner with us?"  
"Surely, if you do not mind," he answered politely. She laughed in response and was soon joined by Edgar in it.  
"What?" Zidane asked meekly, feeling his cheeks flush.  
"Your accent, it's sooo cute," Jen grinned.  
"I was laughing because she was laughing…" Edgar admitted. Jen turned to smile sweetly at him. He smiled sweetly back. Zidane just watched.  
"Eddie…" she fingered his collar.  
"Yes?"  
"I'm out of salt, go get some," she winked and smiled more.  
"Um…literally?"  
"Yes, you goose," she laughed. "You can't make soup without salt!" She then kissed him. Zidane continued to watch.  
"O-o-kay," he got up and went out the door.  
"I'll second that opinion," Zidane said. Jen laughed again. _So, now what? She's going to kiss me too?_  
"Don't worry about it. I'll be in the kitchen if you need anything." With that she went back down the hallway. Zidane watched her go, wondering if it was a good thing or a bad that she hadn't kissed him. When he realized what he was wondering, he shook his head. _ Strange life forms_, he rolled his eyes. He got up to have a look around. He wandered over to the bookshelf and picked up one of the hard-backed printed books. After looking at the make of the object, he opened it somewhere in the middle. He peered at the print, confused. It was a strange language. _ But I speak the same as they do, don't I?_ He scanned the other titles on the shelf, and they all bore the same strange lettering. He looked down at the page he held, and tried to make it out again. _Certainly I know this language…_ S-u-c-h a s-o-f-t s-w-e-e-t- v-o-i-c-e i-t h-a-d! Suddenly it clicked in his mind.  
" 'What do you call yourself?' the Fawn said at last. Such a soft sweet voice it had! 'I wish I knew!' thought poor Alice. She answered, rather sadly, 'Nothing, just now.' 'Think again,' it said: 'that won't do.' Alice thought, but nothing came of it. *"  
"That is one of my favorite children's stories," Jen said behind him. "Have you ever read it…wait, can you read?" He closed the book and looked up at her. She was drying her hands on a small towel as she walked towards him.  
"No, I haven't…but I can read," he put the book back on the shelf.  
"How old are you?" she asked him, looking again somewhat surprised. He thought about this for a moment as well, but came up with the same answer as always.  
"I don't know," he shook his blond head. "How old do I look to be?"  
"Maybe four or five years of age, but…show me your teeth."  
"My teeth?"  
"Yes, your teeth." He gave her the same strange look he'd been getting all day, but he opened his mouth. She looked at his…teeth…for a moment before looking at his eyes again.  
"Yeah, you are definitely no more than six. By the time you're seven, you'll start losing your teeth. But they'll grow back!" Zidane simply looked at her awhile, blinking at intervals. Suddenly she stood up.  
"I have to go check on the bread," Jen said quickly and she raced back down the hall.  
"So, I'll know I'm seven when I start losing my teeth," he thought aloud. "Wonderful." _Four, five, or six huh? For some reason, five seems about right. Yeah, I'll go with five unless someone can tell me otherwise…_ He climbed back into the chair and closed his eyes, savoring the comfort of civilization and sentient presence. _I hope I'm not bothering these people…they're so nice…maybe everything will be clear to me tomorrow_. He looked up as Edgar walked back in.   
"You got the salt?" Jen called from the kitchen.  
"Yes, honey," he answered. After dinner, Jen made up the couch with a blanket and a pillow so Zidane could sleep on it. Very gratefully, he snuggled down into the soft warmth the mock bed offered and swiftly drifted into sleep and a dream. All that the dream offered him was a blue light, so he was easily pulled out of it by the sound of voices. They were the hushed voices of his hosts; he did not stir because he figured that they were trying not to wake him.  
"I feel so bad," whispered Jen.  
"I know…me too," Edgar responded. "But we can't even afford to have children of our own, honey…"  
"I know. I just wish I could do something…"  
"Me too; the things I've heard about the orphanage…" Edgar's already hushed voice trailed off.  
"We can't send him there!" Jen interjected.  
"Shhhh!"   
"I'm sorry," she whispered. "That place is dreadful." Zidane heard her approach him, so he pretended to sleep. She carefully brushed some stray hair from his face and gently rubbed his cheek with the back of her fingers.  
"You'll wake him," Edgar admonished as he drew close to where she was.  
"Poor thing," she breathed. "He looks so helpless, Eddie. And he's all confused and all alone…"  
"We'll think of something," he promised. "We both have work tomorrow, so we should go to bed." She sighed softly as the two of them walked out of the room. _I need to take care of myself…_Zidane thought as he drifted back to sleep. _I can't bother anyone to do it for me; it's not fair to them…_  


***  


The house was empty when he awoke in the morning. When, he sat up and stretched he noticed a piece of paper on the table. He picked it up and looked at the strange handwriting. It took him a moment to decipher it, for it was both in print and script; but he managed.  
  
"Dear Zidain (sp?),  
You said you could read, so I let you sleep in.  
We'll be out 'til about three, when I come home. Help yourself to anything in the icebox.  
-Jen"  
  
He smiled at the note, but he knew what he had to do. He glanced around until he found a pen. After much concentration, he managed to communicate in his apparently second language.  
"Thank you, Jen and Edgar. Your kindness has really touched me. But this is my problem…and I cannot find it in myself to trouble you any more. Please understand I am very grateful. Do not worry; I can look after myself. Until we meet again,"  
He stared at the way his fingers had signed his name, and wondered for himself how to spell it so they might understand. He sighed and left it as "Zi—da-ne" in the manner that it was._ Maybe they can understand… _He relocked the door behind him and headed out into the town. It was time to start his life…  
  
  
*from Lewis Carroll's _Through the Looking Glass_  
Hey! Whaddya think? Can I get honest opinions?( i.e.) Review!!  



	4. To Become Human

Betweenpart4 I'm an exhorter, people, that's my motivational gift. Therefore, I need feedback!! Please review.  
  
*Daguerreo, a week later  
Kuja rubbed his injured arm as he walked through the wet library. On the way to the city in the mountain, he had run into a pathetic-looking monster that had demanded a diamond from him. He had laughed at it and threw a rock at it, telling it to shoo. The angered creature then summoned several comets down on him. He managed to get out of that with only an injured arm, having quickly dispatched the creature with a flare spell. However, he was still pretty annoyed. He made his way to the second level of the library and began to look around. Eventually, he found a book entitled, in the Gaian writing, "The Eidolon and I." After looking through it, he found that it really wasn't what he was looking for. This is a work of fiction! The language is rather fascinating though… Stifling his sour mood, Kuja turned to one of the scholars and asked:  
"Excuse me, but where are the documents on the eidolons?"  
"Lower level to the left, in the middle," the man answered without looking up. Kuja shrugged and went to the place the man had directed him. Sure enough, there were books on eidolons—hundreds of them._ I could be here for a while…oh, well. A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step._ He took a deep breath and selected several thick books from various shelves by various authors. He took them back to an empty table and began to read through one. He struggled with the print at first, but he soon became used to it. After he had read through three of them, he had to get up and walk around. _They don't understand any more about eidolons than I do, he concluded. These are just the theories of those who've seen them. I guess I've already destroyed this "summoner tribe," that actually knew how to use them. I have to find something written by an actual summoner…_ He looked up at someone who was staring at him.  
"What?!" he barked, for his mood still hadn't improved.  
"Where should I start?" the man who spoke was obviously not one of the more respectable Gaians. He wore ratty dress and was missing three teeth and one eye. Kuja quickly wished he hadn't even addressed him.  
"Don't. I don't care." The man shoved him, but with the aid of his tail, Kuja didn't stumble far.   
"I'll start with that freakin' tail, pretty boy. I seen a lot a strange people here, but none wif stinkin' monkey butts." The ugly man started laughing as Kuja's expression darkened. He didn't know what a "monkey" was, but he didn't like the sound of it. He felt his face flush with anger, as the man began to laugh more. "An' that face, harhar! Now ya look like a freakin' tomato!" That was obviously no compliment either. Kuja brought himself up to his full height.  
"Go bash your head against a rock, you sniggering ruffian," he sniffed as he walked by. "It might improve your image." The man whipped out his sword and brought it down with a harsh clang on the railing. Kuja whirled around and backed away from the sparks.  
"No one talks to Chugga like that an' gets away wif it!"  
"Why am I even speaking to a organism called 'Chugga'?" Kuja quipped. "Chugga" roared like some sort of beast-man and charged at him with his filthy, rusty sword. The genome easily sidestepped the maneuver and caught him in the chin with a quick left jab. The boor fell back against the rail at which Kuja then daintily shoved him over. He fell screaming until he hit the shallows below with a smack and lay face down there. Kuja distastefully rubbed the oaf's grime off of his hands, and looked up at the shopkeeper, who was now staring at him. When she saw his eyes on her though, she quickly looked down.  
"Sorry about that," he said aloud to anyone within earshot. For some reason, he felt better now. Only now, he couldn't remember his earlier train of thought. He sighed and returned to his table._ Okay, either I have to learn not to stand out so much, or I have to stand out so much that no one bothers me. Either way, the tail has to go_. He glanced at "The Eidolon and I" sitting on the edge of his table. I'll get back to work later. This is a lot more pleasurable than anything else on this planet.  
  
  
*Just north of Alexandria Harbor  
"Mama, mama look!" the little girl stated wearily to her mother, who had not responded for a whole day now. Not to her cries of hunger or her begging for water had her mother said anything She just lay there, making Sarah cry more. But Sarah kept talking to her. "I see wand, mama. Mama? Do you see wand?" Sarah sniffed back tears when her mother again failed to reply. She had long since stopped trying to shake her awake. "Well, I see wand…" she pouted at the front of the small boat. She wanted to go to the land; she wanted to eat and she was thirsty. She watched the sun set as her stomach growled. She couldn't see the land anymore; it was too dark. Since it was dark, she decided to go to sleep. She didn't need her mother to tell her she was tired…  


***  


Dr. Tot heard the commotion at the dock, so he looked up from his book. The squat, little man walked up to where the workers were and looked to where they were pointing. He squinted the sun out of his thick glasses to see a little partially damaged boat floating along. He shouted to get the dock crew's attention.  
"What are you waiting for? Go tow it in!" They didn't need a second bidding. Two boats were quickly dispatched and, after a while, managed to bring the little wreck in. Tot went down to see if there were any survivors. He could see right away that the woman was dead, but when he picked up the little girl, he was in for a surprise.   
"Princess Garnet?!" he exclaimed upon looking at her face.  
"What?" a crewmember called back.  
"Er…nothing, nothing," Tot smiled at him. He started to walk away with the little girl in his arms. _No, the princess has died; nothing could have been done for her. Besides, this girl has a horn. Even if she looks just like the princess…maybe I should take her to see Roger_. He took the little, horned girl back to the castle and up to the throne room.  
"I must see his Highness," he told the guard.   
"Go right ahead, Dr. Tot."  
"Thank you." Tot went over to where King Roger til Alexandros the 25th stood looking over his kingdom. The man and his wife, Queen Brahne, hadn't been the same since his daughter by her handmaiden had contracted a disease and died. Tot wondered if he should be doing this. "Your Highness?"  
"Yes, Dr. Tot?" the king replied without turning around.  
"A boat washed up a little earlier with a dead woman in it, and this child who…well, see for yourself." The king finally turned around to look at the precious little bundle. His jaw went slack as he pulled back the little hood.  
"What is this? Have the heavens returned my precious little garnet to me?"  
"Sire, we do not know anything about this girl…"  
"I have heard enough," Roger raised a hand. "She is Garnet now." Tot was not taken aback. This was quite typical of Roger: to never think about the consequences of his actions. The fact that he was king probably meant that he would never learn otherwise.  
"Suppose her family comes looking for her?"  
"The woman was dead? Then they will not." The king clutched the tiny girl close to him as if she actually were his deceased daughter. "I want her horn removed and then I want her taken to her bedroom to sleep. I want two servants to wait on her. She is Garnet now. See to it, Dr. Tot."  
"Yes, my king," Tot said gravely as he took the girl into his arms.  


***  


The girl's screams still echoed in his head, even though now she seemed rather happy, now that she was bathed and fed. He fingered the horn in his pocket. He would have to look at it later…  
"Garnet?" said the queen's voice as the door was opened. The little girl looked up to see her, and looked a little shocked. This was understandable, because the queen was less than attractive. But the king had loved her over the more presentable of the noble women, so Brahne became his wife. The queen started to cry when she saw the little face. "Oh she does—she does, Roger! Are you sure it isn't really her?"  
"Not entirely, my precious buttercup," he answered. The queen went over to "Garnet" and, bending down, held out her hands to her.  
"Come to me, Garnet, dear, come to mama!" she smiled broadly, displaying a fine set of yellow teeth. Roger came over and knelt beside her, also smiling, though his teeth were white.  
"Hug, your mother, my child, she has missed you." The little girl looked up at Dr. Tot, confused.  
"Go on," he told her. "Garnet" toddled into her "mother's" waiting arms for a hug. When she did, Brahne started her crying anew. When the little beauty had finally pried herself away from the opposite person, she found herself gathered up into Roger's arms and hoisted into the air.  
"How do you feel, Princess?" he said with a smile.  
"Good!" she smiled back.  
"Are you happy, darling?" he hugged her. She seemed to think about that for a while. Finally she nodded.  
"Yeah, I wike my new dwess…" Everyone present laughed at this, but then she continued. "But where's my mama?"  
"Right there, silly!" He pointed to Brahne, who waved. Now Garnet looked very confused. She looked at the three persons around her and scratched her head. "Let's go for a walk in the garden before we go to dinner!" the king said and carried her out the door, followed by his queen.  
"Yes! YES!" Brahne said happily. "I love flowers! Don't you, Garnet?"  
"Um, yeah! I do!"  


***  


Within a week, the girl, who now answered to "Garnet," had accepted everything. She was too happy not to, and it seemed like no one considered that the real Garnet was actually dead. The new Garnet looked just like, and was beginning to talk just like, the old one. Alexandria Castle was a happy place again. Even Dr. Tot all but forgot about the little boat and the dead woman. However, he still had not solved the mystery of the horn. That was when he was going through his books, and he noticed something. The members of the summoner tribe that had disappeared had horns. He realized that the woman, who had also had a horn, and the girl were both probably summoners. So he brought this matter before the royal couple.  
"Well, she hasn't a horn anymore," Roger slammed his fist on the table for effect, "so it no longer matters."  
"Precisely," agreed Brahne, "She is our daughter now. No more of this eidolon rubbish." With that, Tot was forced to leave the matter alone. And eventually, he forgot about it altogether. Besides, he had a princess to educate.  
  
  
*Two years later, the new site of the Desert Palace  
Kuja lazily watched his new creations work. They were somewhat like the genomes in that they were soulless, but they were far less complicated. And they were all the same. His "black mages," as they were called, were meant only to fulfill orders and complete labor; they did not possess the need to be genetically designed like the genomes, because they served a far lesser purpose. Still, Kuja despised them for being like the genomes…for being so much like himself. True, they were his creations, soulless golems destined to fulfill his whims, but he was copying his maker. He hated the black mages because they were shadows of himself. _I am better than they are_, he kept telling himself. _At least, I have a soul. At least, I have my whims for them to fulfill. They are necessary for me to replace Garland_ .  
He stretched out his spine and practiced walking across the newly constructed balcony. After some concentration, and probably some luck, he managed to walk across and back to where he had started only stumbling twice. It was ridiculous, he admitted, having to learn to walk, but he deemed it necessary. He had to learn to walk like a human and that meant without a tail. He had actually had to bind the appendage against his backside to keep from using it, but he was getting the hang of it. After he practice walked around the balcony a few more times, he left his black mages to their work and went back to his quarters on the _Invincible_. Sitting on the bed, he loosed his tail from its bonds and stroked the silvery velvet with his hands, bringing the feeling back into it. He lay down and stared at the ceiling, taking the kinks out of his tail and considering a new prototype for his black mages. There was little wrong with the ones he had: they were as hard working and efficient as ants. In fact, they were just like ants. The problem was that they would not break from their work long enough to maintain themselves. As a result, many of them had already worked themselves to death.  
Kuja laughed aloud at the dilemma. _Well, I am new at this, so I guess there's plenty of room for improvement. I'll get it right eventually, I suppose. Give yourself a break! They're probably excellent for a first try! I'd bet Garland never even came close to his goals when he first started, what? Four thousand years ago_? Kuja sprawled out on his mattress, relaxing every muscle in his body one at a time. He sighed with pleasure as he practiced the peacefulness. Though he tried not to think of his dilemmas, they all kept pestering his mind, robbing him of the rest he was fighting for, and had been for a while. After nearly a year of studying, he was finally starting to understand the eidolons, and he was finally beginning to realize that it was not going to be easy to get his hands on one, especially the one he wanted. He had to be careful. So far, Garland had left him alone. _If he starts to suspect my plans before I am finished…there is no speculation of that; he will finish me_ .   
Now Kuja couldn't even close his eyes; regardless of how tired he was, sleep was not happening. He sighed as his muscles tensed up and his brain went into frenzied reflection. He got out of his bed and went down to the next room: Zidane's old quarters. He never understood why this worked, but often it did. The door slid open for a change of scenery. Kuja tended to enjoy flagrant splendor, while Zidane's tastes had always been more natural, in the most literal sense possible. Kuja had just left his satin sheets for the odd sensation that deerskin provided. It was only comfortable if one lay across it a certain way. He lay his head on the wolf-hide that was supposedly a pillow, and brought the blanket made from some form of wool over his shoulders. He closed his eyes and lay there breathing in the scents of a variety of woods and of long dead creatures. Zidane had obviously known something he hadn't, for soon Kuja's eyelids became too heavy to lift and sleep began to creep in at the back of his mind. He wondered about his brother for the first time in a while as he found the rest that had eluded him for a week.  
  
  
There you go. Hopefully I can reformat Chapter 5 before I go on vacation.  



	5. The Hunter's Chance

betweenpart5 *Lindblum, not long afterwards  
"Rabbit," a shaggy brunette orphan boy with wide, black eyes, rushed through the streets, clutching the loaf of bread to his chest like it was a baby. It had been too easy to slip it out of the handbag of a passerby, so it therefore would have to go into the hands of the "Lions" street gang. He hadn't eaten for a while, so instead of giving his prize over to the older group of orphans, he had decided to make a run for it. It was quickly becoming apparent that this had been a poor decision. John and Statcher, two of the smaller ones, were steadily gaining on him, while the rest of the troupe remained in hot pursuit. And, Rabbit knew, the group that was following him was not the complete pride of Lions, just one of the gangs that patrolled by day. He knew that they were chasing him into the territory of the next group over: the group that possessed the infamous "Big Yug" in their ranks. The thought of Big Yug, the hippo boy, was not a pleasant one.  
Rabbit began to panic as he realized that he was running out of alleys. He turned one corner, looking frantically for a place to hide. He found none, and, just his luck; John turned the corner just after him. The alley, he knew, led him into the next set's territory.  
"Well, punk, we were gonna letcha off," Statcher, who had just arrived, panted, "but afta yer little stunt, we're gonna hafta teach ya a lesson." The other panting Lions that had caught up laughed at this. John cracked his knuckles and started toward the frightened Rabbit. The younger orphan had at this point decided, much to his own chagrin, to chance a run-in with Big Yug. He turned around and began to run, only to be yanked off of his feet to be carried up and over the ground. He gasped in surprise as the buildings grew shorter and he ended up on top of them. He looked up at his rescuer: a boy about his age armed with a tail and a clothesline. The blonde hair was caught in a breeze as he turned his blue eyes to Rabbit, smiling slightly.  
"The only way to fly," he explained with a mild accent and a gentle laugh. The other boy was dumbstruck. The tailed one cocked his head like a quizzical cat's and winked. "Rabbit, isn't it?"  
"Oh…are you the eagle?" the other asked, for he suddenly realized it could be the same tailed person whom his pals had told him about.  
"Yeah, some people call me that, including myself, but my name's Zidane," Zidane replied with a grin. Rabbit's face lit up.  
"I've heard all about you!"  
"Really…" Zidane scratched the back of his head.  
"Yeah! They say you live on the rooftops and swoop down to fight off the Lions and the police and…oh, you want some?" Rabbit held out his precious loaf of bread. Zidane eyed it for a moment, but then pushed it back at him, shaking his head.  
"Naw, if you were willing to stand up to those bad 'uns, you need it."  
"Wow! You're as great as they say you are!"  
"Not really…"  
"How do you get down from here?" Rabbit's eyes filled with sudden worry.  
"Fire escape," Zidane said as he pointed to the end of the roof.  
"Oh, hey! They can't get up here, can they?"  
"They've never tried."  
"Hey, my name's Rabbit. Oh wait! You knew that! Hey, how'd you know that? Have we met before? I don't think I've ever even seen you before! So how…?" he babbled on in the hyperactive manner that had apparently earned him his name. Zidane stared at him for a moment, wondering where he'd heard about him, until he heard his name being shouted from below. It was Statcher.  
"One moment, please," he said holding up a finger. He went to the edge of the roof to look down at the grumbling gang. "What is it, Stature, o so lacking?" he asked, knowing no one but himself got the joke, but not really caring.  
"Lookit, Tribble," Statcher shouted, mispronouncing his name. "We've warned you about bustin' up our affairs."   
"Yeah, so?"  
"So?! You gone an dunnit again!"  
"Yes," Zidane appeared to think as he spoke. "Yes, I suppose I have." The collective expression of the Lions seemed to darken a bit.  
"Roquel ain't gonna be happy."  
"Hmph. When is he ever happy?"  
"When he's grindin' up the bones of punks like you!" interjected one of the others. Zidane curled one lip into a snarl in response.  
"I daresay _that_ was uncalled for…besides, he couldn't grind his teeth without proper instructions…"  
"Yer all _talk_, Zidane!" Statcher cut in. "If you ever came offa yer blasted roofs…the king'd whoop yer ass!"  
"Heck with that!" John joined in. "Come on down and we'll save you the trouble of waiting! We'll do it!" A rowdy chorus of approval echoed through the alleyway. Zidane glanced at Rabbit, who simply stared up at him, awestricken. He then quickly sized up the group. If he were alert, they wouldn't be beyond his capabilities…he had to admit; the proposition was pretty tempting… He glanced around, to find his discouragement. Officer Warrener was a few blocks away, and his beat would take him in this direction. Zidane didn't want to risk getting chased by the police; life was hairy enough with his opposition to the Lions, despite anything Rabbit and his friends believed about him. His reputation with the orphans would not help anything if he got caught and drafted.  
"The sly eagle fights on his own terms," Zidane spoke, causing a near instant silence. He let it sit that way for a moment. "Cop Warrener is on his way here. You'd best be leaving. I know I am." There was an obvious disappointment below, but none of them needed a second bidding. As he left, Statcher uttered one last threat.  
"Eagle crap or not, mark my words, Zidane, Roquel _ will_ deal with ya."  


***  


The workers' bell sounded through the streets, calling the first shifts to duty. As usual, it woke Zidane up. He sat up in the pile of flax he called a bed and stretched his arms. His "home," for that was more or less what it was, rested high in the belfry, out of the reach of those aside from himself and the pigeons. He picked the straw out of his shoulder-length-or-so blonde tresses before braiding it down in the back. No sooner had he finished tying the end then had the strands not long enough slid back to his face. He didn't mind because they never got in his way. Skillfully, he leapt down to the window of the bell from strategic areas along the wall. He slid down a rain barrel, washed his face in the deposit at the bottom, and then made his way into the Business District in search of breakfast. He stopped next to a window and stared at his reflection for a moment, checking on the progress of his front teeth. They were growing in steadily enough, although it was uncomfortable as they did so. He practiced his puppy's face once before he moved onto his first target: Pepe's Milk Stand. Pepe was a bit of a scrooge, so the orphans tended to avoid him. His wife however, Zidane had learned, only needed him to give her a pitiful smile when her husband wasn't looking. He slipped a small bowl from the potter's stand and stood at the fountain for a moment. When he saw Pepe go inside the house, he turned to catch the miss's eye. She winked broadly at him and dipped her ladle into one of the large pots of milk. He held out his bowl to her as she poured it in and, mouthing a thanks, then raced down to the synthesist's as she shooed him away. He sat down in a slightly secluded spot to drink his milk. When he had finished, he took the dirty bowl back to the fountain and nonchalantly dropped it in. He leaned against the fountain for a while, and when the coast was clear, he fished it out again. Discreetly, he replaced the bowl as if it had never been moved as he walked back the way he'd come.  
_ Well, it's shaping up to be a boring day. Maybe I can head up to the Theatre District and catch a show…I don't think I'll have anything better to do._ A despaired cry from down the street caught his attention. _As always, I seem to have thought to soon._ He made his way down the more or less abandoned cobblestone to come upon Big Yug's group. They were tormenting a well-groomed and dressed child, about four to five years old, by taking his toy and holding it out of his reach, and by saying threatening things. Zidane didn't like the idea of being ground level with Yug, but the public surrounding emboldened him. Besides, he could never have brought himself to just walk away… He walked right into the center of the incident, between the gang members and the distraught victim. Deftly snatching the toy from the Lion's paw he addressed them:  
"Tell me; have you ever even considered picking on someone your own size?"  
"You again?! You must wanna fat lip…" the other snarled. Zidane ignored him and knelt down to the child who was sobbing on the ground.  
"Hey…don't cry. Here you go." Zidane gently pressed the doll into the younger boy's arms.  
"So, Dribble," Yug said from behind him. "You finally show your ugly mug."  
"Hey, don't let these losers get to you," Zidane smiled to the boy, ignoring Yug again.  
"Losers?!" he shouted back at Zidane's back. "You got a lotta nerve, Dribble!"  
"You okay?"  
"Yeah…thanks," the little boy managed to get through a sniffle.  
"No problem," Zidane said as he helped him to his feet.  
"Oh yeah? There is too a problem!" Yug was starting to lose his temper.  
"Why don't you go home and get a drink of water of something? You'll feel better." The little boy smiled back at him this time.  
"Okay," he nodded and ran off as fast as his legs would carry him.  
"Dribble!" Yug was shouting now. "I've been talkin' to you!!"  
"Yeah, well," Zidane shrugged, "I don't answer to 'Dribble,' _Drool_." Though Yug's face turned bright purple, Zidane continued. "Besides, couldn't you see I was busy? Or are you as blind as you are dumb?" The rest of the gang stepped aside, causing Zidane to immediately regret not having checked his mouth. He tensed his muscles…  
"GRRR! That's _it_!" Yug practically roared.  
"What's going on?" came a new voice. Yug immediately stopped. The group cleared out slightly to reveal the newcomer: Roquel himself. Zidane gulped slightly, but stood his ground. Roquel was about ten or maybe eleven years of age, with dark hair and heavy eyebrows to shade deceitfully soft brown eyes. He was of average height and lean, but his strength lay mostly in his uncanny ability to control his pack of rogues.  
"I asked a question," he reminded the hushed group. All the answers came out at once, but surprisingly, he didn't hush the ruckus; he simply listened. They fell to silence as he stepped toward Zidane; the only thing soft in his eyes was the color. Zidane slid his hands into his pockets and shifted his weight to one leg as he look up into those cold soil-shaded orbs. "Zidane Tribal," his voice was like honey offered to a fly—it sounded sweet but there was a certain lethalness to it. "I'm starting to hear a lot about you."  
"No kidding," Zidane said as he twitched his tail to release some of his tension.  
"I really haven't cared. I mean, I supposed we orphans hafta stick to our groups to protect ourselves. I figured you were just sticking to yours and that was all." He shot the younger boy a look that almost froze the words that were coming from his throat. Zidane managed to get them out anyway.  
"So that's forgivable?"  
"It was…if you stayed more or less out of the way. Neither of those is the case. You're siding with the rich kids."  
"So?"  
"So?"  
"Yeah, so," Zidane shifted his weight again. "I must have missed something." Roquel slid closer to him, breathing on his face.  
"You're not challenging the Lions for your friends; you're challenging us for your foes."  
"Get over yourself," Zidane rolled his eyes. "Just because a person isn't suffering doesn't mean that they should." Even the color seemed to lose its softness for a moment, as Roquel leaned close enough to nearly touch noses.  
"You are challenging the Lions," the honey was gone as well. "Do you realize how _dangerous_ that is?"  
"Yes, _kitty_, I do." Zidane began to throw his caution to the wind. "Believe me, it's not as 'dangerous' as you'd like to believe."  
"Wow…someone's really asking for it," Roquel's voice rose, making his gang start stretching muscles, and cracking joints.  
"You wanna fight me? Here?" Zidane had caught something in the corner of his eye that the other's had missed. He raised his voice considerably. "You're even dumber than you look!" The angry retorts never came.  
"All right, boys," came a deep, aged voice. "Break it up." The orphans all looked up to see Cop Kilmer, who had a bit of a reputation.  
"No problem here, Officer," Zidane smiled brightly. "I'll just move along." The cop eyed Zidane for a moment, but since he had never been reported for anything, he finally nodded.  
"Fine. Then go." Zidane took off at a brisk walk toward the air cab station, thinking maybe he would catch that show after all. Roquel left him a promising glare before turning back to his "pride."  
"Well, you heard the man! Break it up!" the orphans quickly scattered.  
"Not so fast, Roquel!" Cop Kilmer grabbed his tattered shirt. The boy looked up innocently at him.  
"What?"  
"Sit down. Now."  
"Here?" Roquel asked in a small voice, indicating the ground with his finger.  
"Yes, now!" Roquel complied, but he gathered some dirt from the road in his hand as the policeman looked at his little book. "Just as I thought," the man continued. "You've been causing trouble and I have the evidence necessary to arrest you. Put your hands on your head." Instead, the boy threw the grit into the officer's eyes and took off down the road at breakneck speed. "Stop that boy!" Kilmer yelled as he rubbed his eyes. The king of the Lions had to duck, dodge and dart feverishly as he looked for an escape. He finally did, and lay panting in the gutter. _You'll pay for that, Zidane. See if I don't break your neck for it…_  
  
  
Okay, I'm gonna be out of town for a week and I'm not sure if I'll have on-line access while I'm gone. If not, you'll just have to wait for a load of new chapters to show up after that. Either way, I have a eight hour car ride ahead of me. I will be writing!!  
  



	6. One's First Break

Betweenpart6 Yay!! It's working again!! Well, kind of. Okay, my apologies for the Zidane dominance, but hey, he's got to be the most interesting one at this era. I promise, he won't hog the next few chapters! Nope, Kuja will be taking the reins pretty soon, also I'll be introducing someone else...  
  
  
Zidane trudged steadily onward towards the belfry. The sun had set and the night crowd had cleared from the streets to their respective pubs and clubs during his trek across town. He was tired and dirty, but at least he was no longer hungry. _Well, sort of…I guess you can't mooch every day, even if you are as cute as me._ Simply stealing food was no longer simple, either; the patrol at the market place had doubled. Zidane did not fancy winding up in the hellish poke they called an orphanage, from which he'd probably get drafted for the army. Despite his carefree outlook, there were some chances even Zidane wasn't willing to take. So he'd gone up to the "posh" district in search of odd jobs. The first door that did not turn him away was answered by a butler. _Why couldn't it have been a maid?_ The man had decided to have the boy weed the practically mile-long walkway, since the gardener never did "a proper job anyway", so it wouldn't "make much of a difference." Zidane spent the rest of the day wrestling with dandelions that were used to having their way and actually pulling out their roots. Out of the whole ordeal, he had gotten a semi-decent meal. He knew that he had been horribly ripped off, but he lacked the strength to protest. He'd simply taken the food and left. _Sleep…_was the only thing on his mind, so he wasn't thinking about anything else. He was about halfway through the alley to the back street when he heard a sound that made him spring back like a startled cat.  
"It's not smart for eagles to travel at night," came the voice of honey. "It belongs to…_larger_ predators." Zidane could make out Roquel's from leaning against the wall, and as his eyes adjusted to the lack of light, he could also make out the smile that rested at his lips. Roquel looked up at him, a full-fledged grin sprouting from his smile. Zidane quickly became aware that about thirty larger, older boys were surrounding him; the realization made him groan audibly. Snickers popped up from various locations about him in response.  
"It must be Monday…" Zidane attempted to laugh.  
"Not your day?" Roquel finished for him stepping toward him. Zidane now had his tail lashing and started shifting his weight back and forth to get his blood flowing. He held his dirt covered hand up in the lion king's face, visualizing that it matched his eyes.  
"Let's just say I'm really not in the mood…" Zidane started to walk by, but Roquel grabbed his wrist saying:  
"That's too bad." Zidane's eyes connected to his for a moment before Zidane jerked away, twisting his arm painfully in the process. Zidane saw him wince, so he began to back away, trying to leave it at that. Roquel growled and the Lions began to step closer. "I don't think so…you can't hide behind the police now." Zidane went against his instincts and let them attack first. He would soon realize his mistake. He blocked the first punch and turned immediately caught the one that came from behind in the stomach with a backwards kick. He ducked one, kneed the next in the stomach, and then launched over that ones shoulders to kick the next in the head. He soon realized he had given them control, even if they hadn't even hit him yet. He tried to get up above them to press his attack and then get away, but they were all there now, and now they weren't getting in each other's ways. He was pressed completely to blocking and dodging now, and then he felt a sharp pain in his backside. He was yanked off his feet to fall on his chin. Statcher had snatched his tail. Some of the legs moved away as Zidane moaned.  
"That's…that's just _wrong_!" Zidane complained of the tear-jerking sensation. _Man, it's like he was trying to pull my brain out by my butt or something…_  
"Oh, Yug?" Roquel called sweetly. Zidane saw the hippo boy come straight at him, leaping into the air without remorse.  
"Oh, crap!" was all Zidane could get out before some of his ribs gave way under the body slam. It hurt, a lot. Zidane whimpered loudly and his eyes stung with tears. A laughter of approval sounded through the ranks of the Lions. Yug laughed, his enormous weight bouncing with each guffaw. Zidane found this _really_ painful and could hardly hold back more whimpering.  
"Ouchie," Roquel came out from wherever he'd been hiding. "I could've sworn I heard something crack." Zidane didn't reply. He was having enough trouble breathing. "So where are your little wimp friends now, hmm? Where are the spoiled brats? The policemen? Huh? Speak up." Zidane slowly lifted his head.  
"Fine. You've proved…your point…Nobody cares…about…me," he slowly got it out. It was painful, both physically and emotionally, for him to say it. "I-I knew that… Can I go…home now?" There was a moment of silence, aside from Zidane's pained breathing.  
"So…you exist _only_ to annoy me?" Roquel raised an eyebrow as he spoke.  
"That's not…"  
"DON'T interrupt me," Roquel kicked at his face on the first syllable. Zidane moved just in time, the kick hitting him on the side of the head. This was still painful. Zidane's head cleared a moment later to realize that Roquel was still talking. However, Zidane was through with reasoning with them.  
"Dammit, Roquel! Why can't you just leave people alone?!" Zidane was surprised at the volume he got past Yug's weight. He was rewarded with another kick, harder this time. Zidane could barely hear his retort and he was seeing lights he knew didn't exist. A harsh hand under his chin lifted his hand.  
"Tribal, the least you could do is _listen_ to me," the honey practically dripped onto Zidane's face. He groaned as he tried to open his eyes; he was seeing two Roquels in front of him. _And one's too many…_ "Hey, guys. I'm getting really mad."  
"N-no…kidding…" Zidane barely managed to whisper. He felt hands grabbing his limbs; he knew what they were about to do. He tried to get a horrified expression onto his face; he didn't know if he managed.  
"What…are you…trying t-to do? Kill me?" Roquel dropped Zidane's head in response, the chin hitting the ground again.   
"I'm considering that…" he stood up as he spoke. Each of his arms and legs were then pulled away from him in opposite directions and more people jumped on Yug. One of Zidane's already hurting ribs gave way and cracked audibly. Dignity no longer mattered; he screamed out in anguish.  


***  


"I guess I'm just lucky I got you out when I did," the redheaded boy sighed to his older companion.  
"Shaddup," the other mumbled as they walked through the deserted streets. "Sorry…alright? I thought I could win."  
"What? With your luck?"  
"Oh, shut up," the older one growled.  
"I mean, _any_ money is a lot of money for us…" the boy continued. "We can't afford to throw it away like that. I mean, gambling? Dang, it's too early to be headin' back. Why couldn't you listen to me?"  
"Quit yelling at me!!" he yelled back. At that moment a scream sounded through the streets. "What? You too?" he yelled back at the sound. The boy looked up at him with wide eyes.  
"That…" the boy stated, "can't be good."  
"Yeah." The two hastened through the darkness.  


***  


It was a slight relief to have Big Yug finally off his back, but he was broken and bleeding from the gang's "fun." He groaned softly as Roquel lifted him up by his tattered collar. He struggled to retain consciousness.  
"Y-you're…n…not…finished…yet…are…y-you?" he slowly put the words together. Blood seeped into his mouth from a split upper lip. Roquel simply laughed.  
"Nope." Zidane moaned again, the feeling was leaving his body and the hope was leaving his heart. "You're to be an example to those loser's who look up to you."  
"Look," Zidane's whisper echoed a tiredness that threatened to overcome him. "I can't…I-I can't take…it…any more. Either-Either stop…or…or…" Zidane passed out without finishing his sentence.  
"Aw, poor baby," Roquel laughed and tapped Zidane on the head. "Come on, wakey, wakey!"  
"I heard it over here, Kilmer!" an adult voice sounded from just outside the alley. Roquel dropped Zidane's body; the lions dispersed into the night without a word.   
"Wow, you're good," Roquel muttered to Zidane and he vanished down to the street.  
"Hey, it worked," the redheaded boy remarked.  
"Hehe, of course it did. Kilmer's really scary." The pair made their way over to the still form on the ground. "Dang, they did that?!"  
"Holy…" the redhead knelt down next to the unconscious orphan.  
"How'd a gang of midgets…?"  
"I wish I had some decent light…" the boy interrupted as gently turned his patient on to his back and ran his fingers over the face, neck, arms, and chest.  
"Go for it, duckling." The boy looked up, a hurt expression on his face. "It was a joke," his companion apologized.  
"It wasn't funny," the boy told him. The unconscious blonde winced as his hand brushed the ribs. Carefully, he prodded at them a bit, producing pained noises from his subject. "Well, he's definitely got some broken ribs, and some sort of head injury…my guess would be a concussion."  
"Sooo…he's coming with us?" the older one knelt down as well.  
"What? We'd leave him here?" The blonde boy moaned and stirred slightly. "Oh no. Don't wake up yet. That won't be any good… Gently, Marcus." Slowly, the older one, Marcus, took the child into his arms and stood up, the redhead helping to support his patient.  
"Poor little guy," Marcus looked down on his load. "He's just a baby street rat." Slowly, the blonde's eyes opened and looked up at him. He squinted a bit before he moaned again.  
"If…you're an…angel," he whispered brokenly, "heaven is really…disappointing."  
"Hahaha!" the other boy laughed. "Don't drop him, Marcus! He's just a little delirious, that's all. Heeheehee, but just a little." Marcus frowned.  
"Marcus?" the blonde whispered again.  
"Yes?"  
"Ah…so you…are Marcus…um, Marcus?"  
"Yes?" Marcus repeated.  
"Don't rush," the redhead advised. "You really shouldn't try to talk. You've been through a lot."  
"Um…" he persisted. "Marcus…am I…um…dead?"  
"No," Marcus answered, slightly pleased that the kid was ignoring his companion.  
"Oh…that's good."  
"Don't worry, kid," the redhead said. "You're gonna be alright."  
"And…you are?" the child slowly turned his head to look at the other boy.  
"That's Blank," Marcus answered.  
"Blank?"  
"Yes," Blank said. "My name is Blank." The blonde seemed to think about this for a moment.  
"Ah," he finally said. "I guess…that was…bound to happen…sooner or later." Now Marcus was laughing. Blank hid his face in his hand and tried not to smile himself.  
"So, do you have a name?" Blank said quickly as Marcus struggled to calm down.  
"Yeah…I do."  
"What is it?" Marcus prodded.  
"Don't rush him," Blank cut in.  
"My name's…Zidane…"  
"Zidane?" Marcus looked quizzical.  
"Yeah, that's it."  
"Zidane…that's a cool name," Blank said.  
"…thanks," Zidane smiled slightly and winced at the cut in his lip.  
"Nice to meet you, Zidane," Marcus smiled.  
"Back…at you…both," he whispered around his wound.  
"Look, Zidane," Blank spoke slowly and softly, "we're gonna take you back to our place and see what we can do for your injuries, okay?"  
"Um, okay, thanks a lot…"   
"No problem," Marcus smiled.  
"Sooo," Blank continued. "If you need to go to sleep or anything, go ahead. It'll help."  
"I'll…try to rem…member…that." The trio made their way through the empty streets of the Business District towards the air cabs, which weren't really running at this hour. By the time they arrived in the Theatre District, Zidane was sleeping soundly in Marcus's arms. Once they were inside the empty hide out, Marcus laid the sleeping child gently onto a spare cot while Blank rummaged around his bunk in search of medical supplies. Blank pulled out his bag and knelt next to the cot.  
"Marcus, get me some cool water and a rag…" he ordered as he carefully pulled off Zidane's threadbare shirt, trying not to wake him. As Marcus wiped the orphan clean of dirt and blood, Blank examined the boy's ribs. Not waking him would not be possible; some of the fractures were complete so the bones would have to be put back. "Hold him down by his upper arms." Marcus complied as Blank prepared to adjust the bone. The two ends made little noise as they rejoined, Zidane on the other hand… Blank pressed a wad of cloth to his mouth, absorbing most of the scream. "Catch your breath…I have one more to do, but then the worst is over."  
"Don't sweat it, kiddo," Marcus grinned as he looked up at Blank. "His father was a quack, donchaknow." Blank looked back at him, an expression of genuine betrayal on his young features.  
"He was accused of medical malpractice that he never committed! Stop calling him a quack! Doesn't my family deserve at least a little respect?!"  
"Geez…I'm trying to stop you from taking it so seriously," Marcus shrugged an apology. "I'm sorry."  
"As am I," Zidane smiled slightly. "I trust you, Blank." Blank smiled fully, slightly stunned by Zidane's kind words, but still fully appreciative of them.   
"Do you want something to bite? It would be best if we didn't wake the neighbors."  
"Who's trying to sleep around here at this hour?" Marcus pointed out.   
"Whatever. Still…"  
"I see…your point…why not?" Zidane answered. Blank pulled some gauze out of his bag and offered it to Zidane's lips. "When we're done," Zidane said before taking it into his mouth, "can he…get off of…my arms? It…really hurts."  
"Definitely," Blank answered as he carefully maneuvered the gauze around the cut in Zidane's lip. "I won't lie—this will hurt a lot, but try to relax, okay?" In response, Zidane closed his eyes and let out a long breath, attempting to relax as Blank had said. _He's a real sport_, Blank thought as he prepared to adjust the second fracture. When he'd finished, a long stream of air hissed through Zidane's teeth: the remnant of his screams of pain. Marcus let go of his arms again.  
"Good job," Blank commended as he relieved him of the gauze, which now carried a permanent imprint of his molars. Slowly, Zidane's fists unclenched from the sheets, his knees unlocked, and his tail, which had death-gripped the closest thing to it, unwound itself from Blank's leg. Blank rubbed the feeling back into his calf as he watched the appendage curiously, but he did not say anything.  
"Wow, talk about mind over matter," Marcus remarked. "The first time I thought you were going to break out of my grip, but that second time, you barely flinched." Zidane's eyelids drooped as he breathed out a single statement:  
"Ow." Then he fell asleep.   
"Ow…my leg…pain…" Blank groaned as he massaged his calf.  
"Bro, what happened to your leg?"  
"His tail was kinda releasing its tension…on my leg. Ouchie."  
"His tail?" Marcus looked down to see the little stretch of blond fuzz drooping off the edge of the cot. "Huh. They get weirder and weirder."  
"Dang…I challenge a rat to do that kind of damage with _their_ tail," Blank went back into his bag. "Anyway, let's wrap him up and get to bed before the Boss comes back." He was soon foiled; for no sooner had Blank and Marcus began bandaging the boy's injuries than did the Boss walk through the door.  
"'Evenin' boys, Gwahaha," Baku laughed. "I see you're back early for a change."  
"Oh! Hi, Boss!" Marcus smiled nervously, remembering his lost bet.  
"Whatcha got there?" Baku came over to the cot.  
"Shhh…" Blank held a finger up to his lips. "Let him sleep."  
"Gwahaha, what pathetic life form didja drag up here this time?" Baku laughed again.   
"I wouldn't say he's pathetic, Boss," Marcus continued to help Blank. "He was standing up to the entire "Lions" gang all by himself. It shows too."  
"Really…Lemme see!" Baku shoved Marcus out of the way so he could have a better look. "Awww…poor thing. Learned the hard way what happens when you play with fire. He an orphan?"  
"I'm pretty sure," Blank answered as he finished binding up Zidane's ribs.  
"Yeah, it's not like he was calling for 'mom' or anything," Marcus put in. "And why else would a kid his age be wandering the street at night in rags?"  
"Right, gwahaha. Good job, boys. This one's actually pretty cute. He could be useful. Go to bed soon though. And where is Cinna?"  
"Maybe he got a date…" Marcus giggled.  
"He's got twenty more minutes to show up," Blank laughed. As it was, Cinna rushed in with five minutes to spare, barely avoiding the punishment due when Baku caught anyone coming in late. Pretty soon, the entire house had settled down for the night and the inhabitants of which had gone to bed—all except one. Seeing that his boys had all gone to bed, Baku went over to the tiny newcomer and stood over him for a while, watching him sleep. Baku had been unable to make much of himself, despite his more or less noble upbringing, due to wasted opportunity. Although he continued to reach new lows in society, he was determined to help those who had lacked the opportunities he had been given by giving them chances to follow their dreams. Since he'd found that the ones his age often swindled and cheated him, he had taken to bringing up much younger individuals.  
"I hope I can help you," he said quietly then he went off to bed himself.  
  
  
  
Phew. That I made up all myself! I mean, it's a good question: how did Zidane get from being the fallen angel of death to the theif-meister of Tantalus, right? Okay, now I'm just wasting your time. You should be reviewing, not reading my lame apologies!!!  



	7. As Fortune Would Have It

Betweenpart7 Buckle up! The pace is gonna quicken right about now! Hey, don't forget to review!!!  
  
*Treno, about the same time  
The pale-haired, fifteen-year-old boy stared up at one of the nobleman's houses, admiring and critiquing the architecture of it. He felt the same way about the dark city; he loved aspects it of it, but he hated the rest. There was nothing about it that did not fit in either criterion. He shook his head at one poorly erected statue and continued down the dimly lit street. He was here for one purpose only: to determine if he might find a summoner somewhere. He had returned to Madain Sari once, but if there were any survivors, they had either already left or were hiding very well. He had asked several places where he might find someone with a horn, only to receive strange glares, and he was starting to run out of options. According to the book he had found, a summoner child could not retain eidolons until they were about sixteen, therefore he could not obtain the eidolon from a summoner of a lesser age.  
_Not that I have a wide selection to begin with, _he thought discouragedly_._ He stopped outside of a worn down bar and stared grimly at it. It was the type of place assassins and bounty hunters might turn to for information, but Kuja didn't really fancy himself as either. A gruff, buff, and unshaven man came out of the pub sporting several throwing knives and a killer's eye. _Ugh, definitely a miss_, Kuja thought as he accidentally caught the man's discolored eye with his own. _ Aw, kuso…_  
"Who're you?" the man's hand strayed to one of his knives as he asked. Kuja looked away for a moment before looking back to see if the ruffian had moved. He hadn't.  
"A…privateer, of sorts," Kuja answered. "I go nameless." The man was not convinced as he moved closer, his weapon bared.  
"Pretty young to be a privateer…" he growled.  
"You might think so…but I'm not like normal people," Kuja didn't move.  
"Is that so?" With one fluid motion, the knife hovered dangerously close to Kuja's throat, and the streets cleared. "I have some questions that you'd better answer." Kuja closed his eyes and smiled, casting stop on his attacker.  
"And if I refuse?" he taunted, for he knew the man could not answer. But the man could still hear him, so… "I'm am looking for a person with a horn…a horn in the middle of their forehead. If you or any of your cohorts have or receive any information on such an individual, you are to contact me. I will be around. Until then." Kuja waited until he was almost out of range to cast dispel. Then he continued on without a second thought of the man. He had to figure out a way to secure more supplies without destroying another village, so he did not risk losing another summoner. He sighed at his numerous troubles and looked up at another mansion. Quite suddenly, an odd thought occurred to him…  
  
  
*Lindblum, the next morning  
Zidane slowly opened his eyes, letting them adjust to the light that filtered in. Every part of his body was sore and aching, but it was a feeling he had become accustomed to. He never expected comfort anymore. As his senses awakened, he came to notice the sounds of another person. He tried to sit up to have a look around, but an unrelenting pain in his chest stopped him pretty quickly. His breath caught sharply in his throat as he tried to let himself back down.  
"Blank said to breathe in yer gut, not yer chest," a deep voice reminded him from across the room. "Lie down, I'll help ya in a minute." Zidane took his advice—all of it. He closed his eyes until he became aware of a large presence hovering close to him. He looked up to see…a large…wolf-like?…pig-like? man. "You hungry?" the deep voice continued.  
"Maybe…I can't tell…" Zidane answered. The man laughed a loud room-filling, horselaugh that, well, filled the room. "Gee-wiz, it isn't all that funny."  
"Sorry, gwahaha, I thought it was," he continued to laugh.  
"Gosh, when they said fat people were jolly, they weren't kidding." The man immediately stopped laughing. "Oops…I've overstepped my bounds."  
"No kiddin'," the man said. "I was starting to think you were kinda cute."  
"Huh. _You_ get pressed by a hippo, kicked in the head, and have _your_ spine yanked out a place via _your_ _derrière_ and see how cute _you_ can be."  
"Gwahaha," the man was laughing again. "I see yer point. You're alright, kid. I'm Baku, leader of Tantalus. My boys rescued you last night."  
"Tantalus?"  
"Yep. I'll explain later, but we're an acting company," Baku winked as he said this.  
"Uh…oo-kay," Zidane raised his eyebrows in acquiescent acceptance.  
"Gwahaha, here, lemme help ya up," Baku gently shifted Zidane to an upright position against the pillows. "There ya go. I got some stew over here," he said walking away to get it. "Believe me, you're hungry. I made this myself, so you'd better eat it."  
"Um…is it gonna put hair on my chest or…something?"  
"Gwahaha…you watch, I bet it will." Zidane considered this for a moment as Baku brought the bowl over to him.  
"How much do you wanna bet?"  
"Gwahahahaha!! Ye're sharp, kiddo. Say, what's yer name?"  
"Zidane Tribal, now you try," Zidane grinned.  
"Hehe…Zidane Tribal," Baku repeated. "And if I didn't get it right, too bad. So…where're yer parents?"  
"Don't have any," Zidane answered as he looked apprehensively at the bowl of stew.  
"Ah…so where're you from? What brings you here?"  
"I haven't a clue…I never found out where I came from," Zidane explained as he managed to get his fingers to work around the spoon. "I came here because there were people here…"  
"Ya have a name like that, and ya can't uncover any of yer origins?" Baku asked, seriously surprised.  
"Funny, huh?" Zidane looked up, a smile working the corners of his mouth. "So, what about Tantalus?"  
"Well, a while back I tried to start a theatre troupe," Baku obliged. "I succeeded, I guess, but my actors ain't the most popular around, so… Anyways, we're in a hell of a lot a debt. So we kinda have to take up odd jobs and—what's so funny?" Zidane was suppressing his giggles in an attempt to spare his ribs.  
"Pardon me if I assume too much," he leaned his head back to smile at the ceiling, "but what you're trying to tell me, without telling me, is that you're basically a group of bandits, who are making 'Tantalus' a truly worthy name, am I right?"  
"You definitely assume a lot," Baku shook his head in amazement. "But that's about right. Sorry to disappoint you."  
"'Sokay," Zidane smiled again as he stirred at the stew. "I'm not so clean myself…I mean, you rescued me, right? You all can't be that bad. Or am I sorrowfully mistaken?"  
"No…you're good. Whaddya mean, you ain't so clean?" Baku leaned forward.  
"Well…sometimes you can get people to give you what you need…and sometimes you have to take it."  
"Uh-huh. Whaddya say we see if we can make an actor outta you?"  
"Think we can manage?" Zidane cast him a sly glance.  
"With you?" Baku almost laughed again. "Hey, the way you talk? No problem, ya already got more feelin' into yer speech than a likeable politician. Ya learn to project and I'd say yer good to go."  
"Let's say we work on that _after_ the ribs heal, hmm?"  
"Let's say you finish that stew."  
  
  
*Treno, some time later  
The red mage hit the ground with a thud. He looked up at the younger mage, fear replacing the anger in his eyes as he stared into the pale skin of the outstretched palm.  
"I suppose I could ask one last time," Kuja told him coolly.  
"L-look," the man who the locals claimed could discover anything finally decided to try reasoning. "That's a tall order…I don't think the chances are all that great and--"  
"Do I look like I care?" Kuja withdrew his hand to brush his hair from his eyes.  
"W-what'll you pay?" the red mage was just trying to get rid of him at this point. Kuja knew it too.  
"That depends on the results…" Kuja stretched his arms lazily and looked curiously over some of the stray papers on the desk.  
"Hey!" the mage was arguing again as he climbed to his feet. "Why should I work for you? I have no idea who you are, or even if you can pay me, or what kinda trouble I'd get into associating with you!!!"  
"The only trouble you'll get will be the direct result of not cooperating with me. You can be certain of that. Have we a deal, or have we a problem?"  
"Hmph. Some deal…but I'll do it." Kuja smiled back at him as he made his way to the door.   
"I'm glad you understand, I'll be back in about a week. Don't bother to look me up; I'll find you."  
"Wait," the mage interrupted. "This…horned person..." Kuja closed the door and turned back to face him.  
"Yes?"  
"Do you…know anything about them? Anything at all?"   
"Well," Kuja looked at the ceiling. "No doubt you've heard of the summoner tribe… This tribe's members all had horns in the center of their foreheads."  
"You're looking for a summoner?" the mage's eyes widened. "Are you nuts? They've been extinct for centuries!!"  
"Not extinct," Kuja corrected, "exiled. I'm simply looking for a…survivor. A refugee of a recently destroyed village…destroyed by unexplained causes a few years ago. This person may be of either gender and of any age. Any lead will do."  
"If you know all that, why did you come to me?"  
"Like I said, I'm looking for a lead," Kuja continued. "There may be no survivors, in which case I have hit a dead end. But there is no rush; I only suggest you do as much as you can as soon as you can for your own sanity's sake. On that note, now that I think about it, do you know of any others like yourself?"  
"A few…I can give you they're names…but what does this all come down to?"  
"Like I said…it depends on the results."  
  
  
*Nearby, about the same time.  
An airship full of miner mages slowly floated along the coastline, scanning the cliffs for various traces of metal. These black mages were all smaller than the other prototypes. They were designed to have stronger magic powers, than their counterparts and were smaller so they could fit through caves and tunnels. The little black mages marched mindlessly back and forth across the deck to fulfill their duties. They did not notice when one of them was suddenly yanked off the ship by the collar of his coat by an unseen force…  
  
  
*Lindblum, two months later.  
Zidane followed Marcus and Blank into town. They were "cruising'," or looking for odd jobs. This was his third time doing this since he had joined Tantalus, and he never really did anything when he did this. He only came along to escape the boredoms of not doing anything. He had already cleaned the entire hideout from such boredom, and it looked presentable now. However, being able to walk kind of required Zidane to walk. So he aimlessly followed Blank around who was aimlessly following Marcus around who was doing a lot of pointless things. He followed them through the streets of the Industrial District, looking at it in a whole new way now that he was no longer homeless. It was then that he brushed shoulders with another boy…  
"Roquel?!" he exclaimed in surprise.  
"Zidane?!" the other joined in the same breath. The two simply stared at each other for a while, not certain of what to do or what to say.  
"Wow, it's been a while…" Zidane finally said. "How've you been?"  
"Where _have_ you been?" Roquel finally got out. "We all thought you were arrested or something…"  
"Aw…you were worried about me? Sweet."  
"We, um, would've killed you, but—" Roquel started to say, but found himself unsure of what he was trying to say. Zidane relieved him.  
"Hey, I never got a chance to thank you all."  
"Thank us?!"  
"Yeah," Zidane nodded. "If it hadn't been for you, I would never have found a home, but some people adopted me because I needed medical attention, and now I work for them. So, thanks." Roquel stared slack-jawed for a while before frowning at him.  
"Look at you…already you're back to mocking us again, what's with that? Huh? Didn't we hit you hard enough the first time?" Roquel at this point adjusted himself to a threatening position with his hands clenched into fists. Zidane could not help but laugh.  
"I was serious," he protested between chuckles.  
"Zidane!" Blank called from behind him. "We've been looking all over for you! You're supposed to—great globs of tuna!!" Roquel turned to look at Blank, who he had never seen before.  
"'Sokay, Blank," Zidane turned to him. "We were just having a friendly chat." Blank stared at Zidane awhile, during which Roquel stared at him.  
"You are really unbelievable, you know that?" Blank finally told him. "Waaaaay too confident for your own good. Stick with me so I can make sure you're more careful, 'k?" Zidane rolled his eyes back into his head.  
"Whatever," he turned back to Roquel. "I'll see you around, Lion king."  
"How 'bout not?" Blank said, grabbing his arm and pulling him down the street.  
"Whatever," Roquel echoed. Once Blank and Zidane had caught up with Marcus, Zidane was through with Blank's lecturing.  
"You do know that I'm not listening, right?"  
"I was starting to think that," Blank groaned.  
"Cool it, you two," Marcus had drawn to a halt. They were just outside one of the meaner joints in the city. "Maybe you should wait here…"  
"You must be kidding!" Blank objected. "You can't go in there all alone! What if—"  
"Would you quit worrying?" Zidane muttered.  
"You don't get it! Marcus, we don't even need to be here…we don't want to be working for any riffraff that might hang here!"  
"Chill. Nothing's gonna happen," Marcus motioned for them to follow him into the pub.  
"Aw man…" Blank shuddered but followed Zidane inside. Once they got there, someone, or three someones, was already confronting Marcus. "Aw, man!!" He grabbed Zidane's arm and whispered into his ear, "Those are some of Gilgamesh's pals…they don't like us."  
"Well…at least not Marcus," Zidane agreed.  
"We gotta get outta here…" he continued. Just then, the man pushed Marcus back, shouting at him.  
"Hey, Marcus!" Zidane called out.  
"Shhh!" Blank tried to hush him.  
"You just gonna let them push you around like that?"  
"Zidane! They're armed!" Blank grabbed for his arm, but Zidane had already launched himself onto the table. "Idiot! Get back here!!"  
"A pal of yours?" the thug elbowed Marcus sharply.  
"Uh…"  
"Too bad the good friends aren't the smart ones," another one sneered, and pulling a dagger from his belt, threw it at the tailed boy on the table.  
"Zid—" Blank's cry was cut short by what he saw next. Zidane looked at the blade stopped short just an inch of his midsection. He had caught the weapon by the handle. Slowly, he turned the blade away from himself and held it towards the three men.  
"Maybe you should move along," he suggested, his voice like ice. The trio was already looking a mite frightened as they pushed each other out the door. Zidane stepped off of the table, ignoring the stares of the other patrons and went back to examining the dagger, running his fingers over the smooth leather hilt.  
"Dang, Zidane," Marcus came over to him. "Where'd you learn to do that?"  
"Honestly?" Zidane grinned. "I don't know."  
"Dammit, Zidane!" Blank had finally retrieved his voice, "Don't do that again!"  
"Why not, worry-wart? It was pretty cool, don'tcha think?"  
"Geez…"  
"Actually, I'm glad I did that; check it out." He held up the dagger for his friends to see. "Nice, huh?"  
"Lemme see," Marcus reached out for it.  
"Mine," Zidane stated possessively as he handed it to him. Marcus laughed.  
"Of course," he nodded as he looked at it. "Dang, it is pretty nice." He handed it back to its owner.  
"Good grief," sighed Blank. "Can we leave now?"  
"Sure," said Marcus.  
"Man," Zidane shifted his grip on the dagger, "why couldn't he have thrown a sheath too?" Marcus laughed again.  
"I'm sure we can find something," he assured his little cohort. "Hehe, the boss'll never believe this!"  
"Teehee," Zidane joined in the laughter, "we shouldn't tell him how I got it…I bet he won't even notice!"  
"You guys…" Blank shook his head in despair. "You're so cocky. Zidane, have you any clue just how lucky you were?"  
"Lucky? I'm never lucky; of course, that could change…" he held the dagger up again. "Hey, I'll name it 'Lucky' so it'll remind me to look at things differently. How does that suit you, Blank?"  
"I think you're mocking me."  
"No, you think that didn't scare me?" Zidane asked.  
"If it did, you hid it very well."  
"Thanks. I'm trying to be a good actor. I almost peed on myself when I saw that guy whip this thing out, but then my reflexes kicked in and everything was all good. So…I'll try not to be so foolhardy in the future, 'k?"  
"You use big words for a seven-year-old," Marcus put in.  
"Fine," Blank finally responded. "Lucky it is."  
"Great! Hey, can I call you 'Mom'?"  
  
  
*Quan's Dwelling, time???  
Quan looked curiously at the fish he had just caught out of the clouds. It didn't exactly look like a fish, and it didn't look very edible, either.  
"What kind fish are you?" he asked it. It stared blankly at him. "Oh, fish don't talk, I forget." It continued to stare blankly at him. "Hmm…maybe you not fish. Many things no talk." He walked around his catch, examining it. Suddenly, he noticed something printed on the thing's hat. "VI" it read. Quan looked curiously at this for a while, wondering what it meant. He then chanced to look at the other side of the hat. "VI" was printed there, again.  
"Oh," a light bulb turned on in Quan's mind. "I understand! Vi and vi make Vivi! You are Vivi!" "Vivi" continued to stare blankly at him…  
  
  
*The Desert Palace, a year later.  
Sixteen-year-old Kuja lay sprawled out on his bed considering his notes on magic theory. With his hidden palace completed, the search for the summoner well underway, and the money pouring in thanks to an ingenious idea, Kuja was able to take away time to train. This, unfortunately, was beginning to seem necessary.   
He was beginning to master a powerful technique known as "flare." It was a difficult move that required a significant amount of energy, so many high level mages never even bothered with it. However, Kuja figured that there was a way not only to increase the effect of the spell without using more energy but also to cast it on multiple enemies… He only had to determine how… Because if this worked, he hoped he could master some of the revered Terran spells…a beeping sound interrupted his thoughts. He looked up to see that the sound came from his link to the _Invincible_ . _Garland? Now?_ he was rather surprised that the man had managed to contact him. He threw a sheet over his work, fixed his now long hair, and brought the line up on his main screen.  
"Who calls at this hour?" he asked as he answered.  
"I do…finally," Garland said.  
"Garland? What a surprise! How did you get through? My company doesn't take long distance calls."  
"It wasn't easy," Garland answered, his humor obviously running short. "But I finally patched through to you.  
"Well, I must say, it has been a while…"   
"I probably could have gotten a hold of you sooner, but, though this may surprise you, I have better things to do than try to track you down."  
"No doubt," Kuja responded coldly. "So, since I seem to be intruding on your precious time, what is it that you wanted?"  
"I wanted to know what you've been doing," Garland stated. "As far as I can tell you have made no progress."  
"I've made plenty of progress, although thank you for your concern," Kuja retorted.  
"Yes, but doing what?" Garland leaned closer to the screen. "How many people have you killed, my angel of death, since I last spoke with you, hmm?"  
"Four—no wait!" Kuja paused to think. "Seven."  
"Seven?!" Garland looked a little sick. "In three years, you've managed to kill seven people?!"  
"I like to start small."  
"I gave you a high quality weapon of mass destruction, why can't you just use that?!"  
"Because _you_ gave it to me," Kuja shrugged. "I am going to prove myself worthy by doing this my way, without your assistance."  
"Humph," Garland raised an eyebrow. "Speaking of worthy, any word from Zidane?"  
"No," Kuja managed to say, although he wanted to vomit.  
"Honestly, now," Garland warned.  
"_No_," Kuja repeated.  
"I suppose I shouldn't worry," Garland resolved aloud. "He'll contact me when he gets the opportunity."  
"Maybe," Kuja agreed. "If he's still alive."  
"He's alive," Garland said without emotion.  
"We can always hope," Kuja tried not to sneer. _Not that you care about Zidane's well being. You are only thinking of those five years going down the drain_.  
"I have a new assistant for you," Garland said. "She's not anywhere near as good as Zidane, and possibly not even as resilient as you, but she'll do until we find him."  
"Garland," Kuja was nearly shaking with frustration.  
"I expect you to come back right away," he continued.  
"Garland!"  
"Even though she won't be ready for a while, I don't trust you down there."  
"GARLAND!"  
"What is it?"  
"These words," Kuja spoke steadily, although he was having a time controlling his temper, "that are coming out of my mouth in complete phrases and sentences? They mean something. Have you noticed? I've been telling you something with those words; do I need to start over and try again? Did you not understand any of it?"  
"Oh, I heard you," Garland assured him. "But you are highly defective, and lacking in the area of judgment. Do as I say; it's what you are meant to do."  
"You must add insult to injury! I don't care what you think, old man! Sure, I'll do what you sent me to do, just watch!"  
"Kuja, it seems that your emotional status is erratic; trust me, you need to get back here," Garland replied evenly.  
"Oh! As if _you_'re all hearts and flowers when _you_'re frustrated?" Kuja hit the table for emphasis.  
"Calm down, you've been alone on Gaia too long; it is not good for you."  
"I'm _fine_," Kuja drew himself to his full height. "I'm stronger than you think and I don't need you advice or your silly assistant. And I'll prove it, whether you want me to or not!" He cut the connection, and when it beeped again, he left the room. _Come to me, my summoner; I can wait, yes, but He can't…Come soon…_  
  
  
*Quan's Dwelling, another year later  
"Vivi, go get water from spring!" Quan called out to his silent helper, who was still too small to eat, and probably not edible anyway.  
"Why?" a voice came behind him.  
"Why? Need water to cook, that why!"  
"Oh…" Suddenly Quan realized someone was talking to him.  
"Who say that?!" he spun around.  
"I-I did…" the little creature said. Quan looked at it in surprise.  
"It talk! Vivi talk! Holy Frogger, Vivi talk!!"   
"I-I'm sorry, sh-should I n-not?"  
"No, no, no! You may talk! You just not do before now… When you learn to talk?"  
"I d-don't know, I was j-just wondering why you w-wanted me to get water, a-a-and I asked," Vivi stuttered.  
"You talk good," Quan observed. "Maybe learn talk better later, but need water from spring! Need cook! Go get water!"  
"O-okay," Vivi replied.  
"After we eat, I teach more of your whys!"   
  
  
  



	8. The Evidence of Things Not Seen

betweenpart8 Hey, y'all...if you're reading this...I like reviews...Yeah, reviews are really cool...I mean, can you leave me some? Pretty please?   
Yes, this _is_ chapter 8...I am exactly 58 words short of 25,000 now...  
  
*Lindblum, yet another year or so later  
"Check it out, boys!" Baku announced to his crew. They all looked up at the brand new theatre ship. "This is the _Prima Vista_! She's our ticket outta debt and into glory!"  
"Somebody has delusions of grandeur," Marcus muttered.  
"Um…Boss? How did we afford an airship?" Blank wondered, fearfully.  
"Well, I pulled some strings, made some contacts, but hey, if we can work outside of Lindblum, it'll be worth it."  
"You mean we got more _into_ debt to get out of debt?" Blank groaned. "Why am I not following this thinking process?"  
"Look, it's a good idea, guys; I said so."  
"Boss," Marcus started, "I don't think—"  
"Shaddup! This is our ship and we are her crew! And now we're gonna make somethin' of ourselves, even if it means a little _hard work_!" The new crew chorused a groan. All except for one...  
"Hush," Zidane breathed. "She's beautiful." With that, he slowly walked the length of the ship, taking in its detailed decoration.  
"Gwahahahaha," Baku laughed. "How come I only ever have one happy camper, hmm?"  
"Because only one of us is short enough to kiss your butt?" Marcus whispered, drawing a chuckle from the others.  
"Say, Baku?" Zidane called from across the dock.  
"Yeah?" Baku called back.  
"Can I fly it?" The others began laughing hysterically.  
"Gwahahahahahahaha!" Baku's laughter sounded well above theirs. Then, "No. Of course not."  
"Why not?" Zidane whined, sauntering back over to them. The others laughed some more.  
"'Cause," Baku shrugged. "You're too young."  
"Pleeeeease?" Zidane begged, making a face that a basset hound puppy would give three paws to be able to use. Even Baku looked like he might waver for a moment.  
"We'll see," Baku said without commitment. Zidane stopped pushing the issue; he knew he had taken enough ground for now…  
  
  
*Alexandria Castle, a year later.  
"Rise, Aldebert Steiner," the king said solemnly, "Now Captain of the Knights of Pluto, the esteemed guardians of the Royal Family." Steiner rose, as the king bided, and turned to face the assembled audience of the court. He could feel the pride of the moment swelling in his chest and he could hardly control his excitement, but he did control himself, for it was his duty as a knight. He listened to the rest of the ceremonial words, staring straight forward as a soldier would, except when he glanced to the side to see that Princess Garnet was not paying attention. He wondered about it for a moment, but then decided that twelve-year-old girls probably couldn't stay interested in this sort of thing for long.  
Garnet watched two the sparrows that were preening each other in the window and sighed softly. She was definitely happy that Steiner had obtained his position, after working so hard for it, but she couldn't remain focused on the moment. Her mind kept wandering the fantasies she had stored away in her imagination. She kept wondering about things…about love. Not just love, but the kind of love she had read about in the stories she cherished. They were her only escape from the boredom that the splendor of being a princess provided. Not that she did not like being a princess, like some of the girls she read about; she enjoyed it very much. There were just these times when she wished she had a little more freedom. So, when she was bored, she wondered about her tall, charming prince with dark hair and dark eyes. This is what she had decided on, for she didn't want a white knight, because he'd be too stiff, and she didn't want a peasant, because then she'd have to elope to a distant land where she'd never become queen and if she ever wanted to see her family again, she'd end up dying. No, she wanted a prince, who spoke only with comfort or importance, not with the rambling nature of a nobleman, but when he did speak, it would be with a low gentleness that would tame wild beasts. He would have a calm demeanor that no problem could disturb. He would be incredibly strong with an impressive build, so if anything should happen to her, he would fearlessly overtake his opposition to rescue her.  
The sparrows took off from the window, setting out for the sky. Garnet sighed again, trying to turn her attention back to the ceremony. She'd have to wait for her own romance, she knew she was pretty young and she had time. Most princesses didn't meet anyone until their eighteenth birthday, although many met their princes sooner. The trick was not to get into peril early, or else she'd definitely get a knight in shining armor. Evading the peasant was easier: _I mustn't ever disguise myself as a man_. To get the prince, she'd have to be strong in her own right, but sweet and helpless in his strengths. For now, all she could do was study to be Queen and daydream.  
  
  
*Outside a nobleman's domain, some time afterwards, but same year.  
"They're gaining!!" Blank called down from his position. The _Prima Vista_'s engines roared with the power of their output as they drove the ship onward away from Lord Homely's Manor. Unfortunately, Lord Homely's personal fleet was in hot pursuit.  
"Yep," Zidane agreed, looking out the bridge window. "There's one coming in on the port side."  
"Jes' peachy," Baku grunted as he maneuvered his ship at top speed. As he said this, a loud BANG! rocked the airship. "What was that?!" Baku demanded of Marcus who had just come running in.  
"Um…I was just about to tell you that Cinna says the engines couldn't take much more, but I guess they just did."  
"Ooh, it got better," Zidane commented, turning around to watch Baku.  
"WHADDYA MEAN THE ENGINES BLEW?!" Baku yelled. "CINNA? I'M COMIN" DOWN THERE!!"  
"Is now a good time to start screamin', suga?" Ruby asked from the stairs.  
"Zidane, hold her steady! I'll try not to be long," Baku ran out.  
"Who? The ship, or Ruby?" Zidane called jokingly after him, as he reached for the wheel.  
"Zidane, you smaht-ass!" Ruby let go of the railing and actually walked over to Zidane, just so she could hit him on the head. Then she grabbed his arm to hang on to for dear life. Zidane, however, has completely cool now. He was finally piloting.  
"Hurry, Boss!" Blank yelled. "They've caught up on the port side!" Zidane glanced at the ship that had drawn along side them. The _Prima Vista_ was losing both speed and altitude, so the other ship knew they were in trouble. They were preparing to board the theatre ship. _Nopesies, I don't think so_. Zidane dropped the ship down and swerved it to the port side, going down and underneath the enemy ship. Ruby screamed. So did Blank. Zidane adroitly smoothed out the dead ship's descent, sending them skimming over the plateau only twenty feet above.   
"Zidane!" Blank wailed. "What are you doing?!"  
"Omigod!" Ruby clutched Zidane's body in a panicked death-grip. "We ah gonna dieeeee!" Zidane pried his arm out of her grasp and tried to keep the ship from losing more altitude.  
"Please, Ruby," he attempted to calm her. "Can't you see I'm trying to drive?"  
"Tryin'?" she jumped back. "Tryin'? How 'bout a lil' succeedin', suga?" Zidane laughed aloud as the ship plunged over the edge of the plateau and into the mist cover with only a few feet to spare. They descended into the mist, Zidane guiding the _Prima Vista_ out of the sight of their pursuers. The bridge was silent as the young blonde sailed the ship out over the river and softly landed there in the blanket of the mist.  
"Zidane…" Ruby breathed in disbelief. Blank sauntered down the staircase, the same expression of wonder etched into his features.  
"How…?" he shook his head, knowing he'd never understood how his friend got away with these things.  
"Oh!" Ruby got past her admiration into celebration, as she squealed with delight. "Zidane, honey! You did it! You did it!" She grabbed him in a hug, and rocked back and forth excitedly.  
"Dang, Ruby! A little air there!" Zidane laughed despite himself. "It wasn't that big a deal." A whirring sound cam from deep within the air ship as Baku re-entered the bridge.  
"Nice job, Zidane," Baku nodded. "We almost killed ourselves when you took that spill. I think I'll take it from here."  
"Aw, man…" was all Zidane could say as he tramped out of the room with his hands in his pockets.  
  
  
*Tantalus Hideout, several months later.  
Zidane scribbled the last sentence into his note, despite the dim light. As he set the pen down and reached for his pack, a sound caused him to freeze.   
"Where're you going?" Blank's voice whispered through the darkness.  
"Out," Zidane stated simply, breathing a sigh of relief.  
"Out? At this hour?" Blank asked, coming closer so he could see his friend. Zidane only nodded and looked away. "You're…you're not coming back…are you, Zidane?" Blank sighed, starting to realize what was going on.  
"I don't expect you to understand, Blank," Zidane looked at the floor. "But I owe this…to myself. I'm sorry."  
"After all we've done for you?" Blank asked anyway.  
"I said I'm sorry, but there are things I gotta know, answers I gotta find, and I won't find them here."  
"Zidane…" Blank looked away for a moment before looking back. "You're so lucky to have us, people who care about you. Believe me, after everything that happened to my parents… Well, I had no place to go. I had no home. Now, my brother, don't go throwing us away for silly fantasies." Zidane looked up into Blank's eyes, although they were barely visible.  
"I'm sorry about your family, Blank. I truly am, and I understand your point of view… but…" Zidane placed his hand on his friend's shoulder. "But, at least you know what happened to your family, at least you have a history with your parents. I don't know. I must find out."  
"Your leads are your name and your blue light!" Blank voice rose slightly. "How can you expect to find anything? I hate to say it but…"  
"Go on," Zidane hung his head. "You're probably right. Go on."  
"They…they didn't…want you," Blank choked on the words. He knew that it was painful for anyone, even a lifetime orphan, to hear. "But we want you, Zidane; you're one of us." Zidane looked Blank in the eye again.  
"No matter what happens, I'll come back," he promised. Blank shook his head.  
"That is one cruel world you're going into all alone, by yourself, Zidane!" Blank's voice rose again.  
"Not so loud," he admonished. "I'll be fine. I always am."  
"Always?" Blank's fists were shaking with urgency. "Will you never learn?"  
"What do you mean?"  
"The only 'always' is that you are pushing it. How many more always, Zidane? How many more times until you've gone too far and…always becomes forever?" Zidane looked at the wall with the same depth in his eyes that one gets from looking at the place where the ocean meets the sky; Blank's heart grew heavy, for he realized there would be no changing his friend's mind.  
"Perhaps you're right, Blank," Zidane spoke with a gentle conviction. "Perhaps I am an abandoned love-child off to meet a pointless end at the hands of a heartless humanity. Then, perhaps I am a long-lost prince beginning his epic journey home to his failing, forgotten fatherland. Anything's possible from here, so I owe it to myself to find out who I am, where I come from, and where I should be going."  
"And that's what you owe us? Heart attacks and sleepless nights?"  
"Mom," Zidane teased. "I said I'd come back. If those words aren't good enough for you, well, there is nothing I can do about that."  
"I can't believe you just said that to me," Blank whispered hoarsely. There was an uneasy silence as Zidane quietly shouldered his bag and made his way to the door. As his hand touched the handle, he looked back at Blank one last time.  
"Wish me luck?" he asked hopefully.  
"I suppose…even a fool has his days," Blank responded begrudgingly. Crestfallen, Zidane opened the door.  
"Thanks," he replied sadly. "I'll remember that." And then he disappeared into the night.  
  
  
*Treno, late in the next year  
The red mage shifted uneasily in the front hall of the flagrant mansion. However, he had a lead, and Kuja _had_ been more humane with him once he had started bringing in the leads, no matter how far fetched they seemed. The servant beckoned him follow, so he did, from the magnificent foyer through the lofty halls and up the ample staircase to the exquisite balcony where Kuja stood sipping wine. The servant nodded and left.  
"What do you have?" Kuja asked, glancing over his shoulder.  
"This was hard to get, but it was a strange occurrence within the _week _of the date you mentioned," the red mage bowed low. Kuja turned around, looking very interested.  
"Continue…"   
"Well, security has been random in Alexandria since the king has become ill, so rumors have been seeping out like mucous."  
"Like the one about how Princess Garnet is really dead and they just found a replacement?" Kuja asked. He had taken special interest in that one.  
"I suppose, only this is a docking report. Again, about a week after the dates we decided on, a storm-wrecked boat drifted in towards the harbor carrying two passengers."  
"What's so strange about that?"  
"There had not been any storms for over two months. One of the passengers was reported dead; nothing is said about the second one."  
"Hmm," Kuja smiled, trying to hide his excitement. _This is starting to sound like a full-blown conspiracy_. "Who was the reporter?"  
"That's the other strange thing. Normally the harbormaster reports such things, but the reporter was none other than Doctor Tot."  
"The princess's tutor?" Kuja could barely believe what he was hearing. _The red mage had no idea what he has uncovered…I'm through with him for now_. "Hmm, I'll need to talk to the doctor then…you are relieved. Does two million sound about right to you?"  
"Two million?!" the red mage's report and jaw dropped to the floor. He thought for a moment that he _must_ have been dreaming.  
"I take it that's good," Kuja waved for him to shoo. "Go on, I'll send it to you later today." The hired man slowly stumbled down the stairs, back to the foyer, and out the door. Kuja could barely contain himself. In fact, he couldn't.  
"Mwahahahahahahahahahaha!" his laughter rang through the chambers like the sound of wedding bells, and he was just as ecstatic as any bridegroom. "O Great One, O Garland? I've found my summoner! You didn't think I'd manage, did you? Did you?" _Ah, Dr. Tot…I'll need to meet with you in person…_ Kuja went to his hidden stables to get his Silver Dragon. It was finally time to begin his glorious revenge.  
  



	9. Many Meetings

betweenpart9 Thanks to y'all for getting this far. Yay! Nine is like my favorite special number! This chapter is a little more than it seems... Enjoy it and check back later for more!  
  
  
*Lindblum Theatre District, earlier in that year  
Freya Crescent stood with the members of Tantalus in the square listening to them converse about this and that. After paying them a meager fee, she was an "honorary" member of the group. Basically, this allowed her to travel with the group in her airship, which meant she could cover ground more quickly in her search for Fratley…  
"Is that who I think it is?!" Marcus exclaimed suddenly, pointing his finger to the air cab station. Blank and Cinna both gasped in response. Freya followed their gaze to see a boy, about thirteen year of age with blond hair unevenly cut to fall about to his chin, come meandering out of the air cab station. He limped slightly as he did, as if sustaining some sort of injury. She soon realized that the group was running to meet him halfway, so she quickly followed them.  
"Zidane?!" Marcus called out as he ran. "Is that you?!" Zidane looked up just in time to get swamped by a bear hug.   
"Damn, Zidane!" Cinna tried to hug him too. Zidane grunted slightly, as if in pain.  
"Hey, Zidane? You okay?" This was Blank, of course. "Ease off a little, guys." Marcus and Cinna stepped back.  
"Thanks," Zidane nodded. The entire groups' eyes widened.  
"Zi-zidane?" Marcus finally inquired. "What happened to you?"  
"Lotsa stuff," Zidane shrugged. They continued to stare. "Wha-hut? Is there something in my teeth?"  
"Yeah," Cinna nodded. "Maybe that's it…" Zidane rolled his eyes and turned to Blank for an explanation.  
"You, uh…_sound_ different," Blank shuddered. "I guess your voice is changing."  
"Yep," Zidane grinned. "No more female roles for me—" His voice cracked up a couple octaves as he said this. He dropped his head forward. "Always the way…I've spoken too soon."  
"So…" Blank inquired softly. "Didja find it?"  
"Find what?" Cinna asked, confused.  
"No…" Zidane's breath escaped in the deepest tone his voice carried. Everyone was silent for a moment, seeing Zidane as a tired veteran of the road, as opposed to the happy-go-lucky boy they had known him as.  
"You should sit down," Blank led him towards the bench. "You don't look so good."  
"So, Zidane, where've you been?" Marcus asked casually as Zidane sat down slowly.  
"Everywhere," he laughed half-heartedly.  
"And nothing?" Blank prodded.  
"That's right. This fool never had his day."  
"Zidane…I'm sorry I said that…" Blank noticed a fresh mark on Zidane's shoulder. "What happened to you?" He motioned to the wound. Zidane looked at what he was pointing at before he answered.  
"Oh. I had a skirmish with a couple of serpions on the way in. I _am_ fine, by the way."  
"You don't look so fine," Cinna said.  
"So…now what, kiddo?" Marcus sat down next to him.  
"Yeah," Blank chorused. "What do you plan to do now?"  
"I was on my way to see the Boss," Zidane answered.  
"Are you nuts?!" Cinna shouted.  
"Come on, Cinna," Marcus rolled his eyes. "We already knew _that_."  
"They are right, Zidane," Blank cut in. "You are in no condition to see the Boss now! Look, we'll pay for a night at the inn, okay? You need to rest and you need to think."  
"Think?" Zidane laughed. "I've done nothing _but_ think for the past two weeks… I need to see him before I lose my nerve."  
"Nerve? You never lose your nerve, goofball," Marcus shoved him playfully.  
"Really, Zidane—" Cinna was cut off.  
"Don't try to stop me, you monkeys," Zidane stood up. "You should know better by now."  
"I'll come with you," Blank stood up too. "And don't try to stop _me_." The others watched the two go before following themselves. Freya followed as well, slightly confused.  
"Marcus, did he ignore me on purpose?" she asked once she figured out what was bothering her.  
"I doubt it!" Marcus laughed. "You should feel lucky he didn't notice you, though. It's not like him to ignore women…"  
"Oh," Freya responded. "So…who is he anyway?"  
"Who, Zidane? He's one of us. Or was for a while. He left us about six months back without much of an explanation to why. I hope the Boss lets him back in…we're hurting for his help."  
"So he's a good actor then?" Freya didn't exactly ask, since she now figured that he was some stuck up ham. She didn't want to hear anymore about him.  
"Yeah, good actor, better thief," Marcus winked mischievously. "I think you'll like him, actually. He's really funny."  
"Well…funny-_looking_," she suggested. "But that's to be expected of this group."  
"He-_eeey_!!"  


***  


Blank went ahead of Zidane as they entered into the realm of the Boss. Baku didn't see them come in; he was doing something at the table.  
"Hey, Boss," Blank said. "Someone's here to see you." Baku turned around to see whom he was talking about. He grunted and turned back to his work.  
"You can leave, Blank," he said. Blank looked like he was about to object, but Zidane flicked his head, motioning for him to leave. Once the door shut, Baku addressed his reckless charge:  
"You had fun stretching your wings, eaglet?"  
"That's a good metaphor, Boss," Zidane smiled slightly. "For you at least."  
"Don't push it," Baku stood up and turned to him. "I figured ya do something like that eventually, that's why I wasn't surprised. Didja want something?"  
"I…uh…never did find what I went off looking for," Zidane started.  
"So you gave up?" Baku snorted.  
"No, I ran out of places to look," Zidane hung his head. "I've come back, Boss…"  
"Finally came to yer senses, huh?" Baku crossed his arms.  
"Maybe, maybe not. Is it sensible to hope you'll let me back in?"  
"Nope. You broke our number one rule, buddy," Baku fought to maintain his seriousness as he watched Zidane's face fall. "Runnin' off without telling anyone where yer goin'? Big no-no."  
"I didn't know _where_ I was going," Zidane apologized, too tired to argue that several other rules were also "number one."  
"Hmm…well, you never officially left the troupe," Baku rubbed his chin in thought as he spoke. "Alrighty then, here's your belated punishment." With that, he punched the teen in the stomach, sending him falling hard on his butt, wincing in pain.  


***  


Outside, the other Tantalus guys, who had their ears pressed to the door, reacted to the sounds within as if each of them were in Zidane's place. Freya just observed, somewhat appalled at the behavior of these humans. _The sooner I find Fratley, the better…_  


***  


Zidane slowly picked himself up off the floor, and stared angrily at the Boss, who had gone back to what he had been doing as if nothing had happened.   
"The Hell…!" Zidane yelled at him. "I came through all that, for _this_?" Zidane was about to complain more, but Baku silenced him with a smile.  
"Welcome home, Zidane," Baku said. With those words, all anger and confusion left Zidane's face. He found himself smiling back, despite his black eye and bleeding lip.  
"Glad to be back, Daddy," he crooned.  
"Zidane?"  
"Yeah?"  
"Don't you ever, _ever_, call me that again."  
"Sure thing, Boss," Zidane nodded. Baku punched his shoulder lightly, although it still nearly knocked him over. After watching the boy regain his balance, Baku pointed at the bunk that had been his for so many years.  
"Sleep. Now," he commanded. For the first time in months, Zidane did as he was told.  
  
  
*Alexandria Castle, the next year  
Garnet stared out the window, ignoring the call to dinner. She hadn't been hungry since her father died two months ago; her mother seemed to have had the opposite problem. Sure, Garnet ate, but she couldn't eat prepared meals at the table like she was supposed to. It was because Roger wasn't there. It was because of this painful reminder that he was no longer with her. Garnet could no longer bring herself to read her wonderful romance stories, she could no longer dream about her perfect prince who was coming. _If this is what growing up is about…I don't want it. Daddy? Why did you have to die? Why did you have to leave Mother and myself alone like this?_ Garnet hugged the post of her bed and started to cry again. When she managed to get her breath back, she sang to herself. Because now all she could do was sing, because the only comfort she could ever find was in her voice.  
  
  
*Alexandria Castle, a month later.  
Kuja took a deep breath as he stepped out of the Queen's chambers, where he had just spent the best and worst moments of his life: the best, because he had finally ensured his path to victory; the worst, because he had to look at that disgraceful elephant of a woman the whole time. He shuddered as her image, and her awful _smell_, flashed through his memory. It was yet another dreadful thing about this planet, that a woman could look like that. Such a thing would never happen on the planet Terra. _Then again, no one on Terra has looked like that_, he thought as Princess Garnet was caught in his sight for the first time. There she stood in all her radiant glory, bearing no possible resemblance to the Queen. She was about the same age as he was when he'd started looking for her he realized amusedly. He watched her traverse the hall with a lightness in her step that demanded the comparison to a fairy. The stream of true black silk that fell from her head swished gently back and forth with each step, opposite the direction that her wide hips swayed. Oblivious to him, she tilted her chin up as she ascended the stairs to her chambers, exposing the engaging elegance that was her profile to his view. Not until the door closed behind her was he able to pull his stare away. _Wow…_  
He then descended into the hall and made his way towards the great stairway. He himself was now oblivious to that was around him, as he remained spellbound by her sheer splendor. He remained in this reverie until he was shoved suddenly and roughly into the wall. He turned quickly to find himself at sword-point. He quickly realized that it was no ordinary blade that hovered uncomfortably close to his throat. His eyes followed the gleaming length of cold metal to the hands that held it so casually by the magnificent hilt that marked it as the legendary Save the Queen. From those hands, his gaze climbed up her torso, lingering ever so slightly at her supple bust, to the strong, yet feminine face framed by shimmering, brown hair. He stared deep into the dark depths of her good eye for a moment before inquisitively cocking his head to the side as far as he dared move it.  
"General Beatrix?" he inquired in a sensual voice.  
"That I am," she nodded briskly. "Kuja, is it not? Do as I say, for I will not hesitate to run you through. My instincts do not allow me to trust you."  
"Do you always act at whim?" he asked, his tone unchanged.  
"I am still alive, am I not?" she cocked her one eyebrow. "My first impressions are rarely incorrect. And your name most definitely spells evil."  
"It does not. There aren't even any shared letters between the two." She loosed a gentle chortle as she pressed one hand against his chest just beneath his armor to push him back against the wall. The sword tip left his throat to alight on his skin at the place where his ribs parted. This was a less lethal position, but it offered a more painful proposition.  
"I am not known for my patience, Kuja," Beatrix warned with a sweet smile. "I know you mean the Queen harm; tell me: what is it that you're after?"  
"Why should I harm the Queen?" he shrugged partially. "She is paying me, after all." His skin was collecting heat where her hand pressed against him. He quite suddenly realized that arousal was creeping through his veins at only her touch.  
"I hear you are a powerful mage…" Beatrix was not convinced. He found her prodding intriguing, and her force fascinating, although he was at the receiving end of it. However, he thought he knew what she wanted to hear now.  
"So I've come to offer my services to the Queen in her time of need, just as any loyal citizen should."  
"I hear you are from another place," Beatrix's voice now held a hostile tone, like she could tell he was playing on her sense of purpose. She pressed the business end of the Save the Queen closer to him. He sucked in his gut to avoid being impaled.  
"General, I reside in Treno, and I admitted that I am being paid. I don't see why that does not satisfy you."  
"It does not satisfy me because my intuition requires me to kill you," she replied coldly. "The deception is there." He had no doubt in his mind that she _would_ kill him, and being trained in white magic, she might not be affected by some of his spells. Not that he wished to engage in physical battle just yet…  
"If you were to kill me," Kuja closed his eyes, "I'm certain Queen Brahne would be most displeased." The cold point left his stomach to be sheathed at her side, and her warm hand left his chest to help sheathe it.  
"Do not think I have stopped watching you," she said flatly. "You may go for now." He bowed elegantly.  
"Thank you," the wondrous tone had returned to his voice. He continued down the hall until he reached the door, where he stopped to look back at her. Their eyes connected for a drawn out moment. Beatrix stared for an eternity into the deep blue that turned to ice as she neared the window to his soul. But his soul was not bared at the window; rather, it was peeking out, trying to get a glimpse of hers without being seen. She had never known a man to be able to hide so much and so little at the same time, and she was convinced that it could not be a good thing. When the door closed behind him, she closed her eye as well, attempting to imprint his window into her memory.  
Kuja descended the staircase towards the night outside. Although Beatrix paled in comparison to the princess's goddess-like beauty, he knew this: never could Garnet hope to contain in her two gorgeous eyes what Beatrix held in her one. He had a feeling that he was going to enjoy his visits to Alexandria after all.  
  



	10. An Exchange

betweenpart10 Hey... know it's been a while...and I know it's not much, but it's up. Please review, I'm depressed and could use a pick-me-up. *smiles sadly*  
Anyhoo...I by no manner claim that this actually happened...and I have a tiger...he sleeps on the floor so he tends to be grumpy...yeah.  
  
  
* Two weeks later  
Kuja was strolling down the hallway when he saw her coming. And when he noticed that she had failed to notice him, he deliberately walked into her path. His shoulder shoved against hers with such vigor that the two were forced to face each other.  
"Would you watch where you're going?" she snipped hotly.  
"My apologies, General," he cooed. "I didn't see you down there." Beatrix increased her height at his comment, but this was still lacking. She haughtily turned up her chin and turned on her heel to continue on her way. He wasn't finished yet. "I was looking through the items at my auction, and I came across this." He held out a small box. "It reminded me of you, so naturally, I figured you'd like to keep it." She watched his eyes as she slowly reached out for the parcel. There was no hint of ill will, so she took it.  
"True, I can't have you thinking about me," she nodded briskly, an indifferent look on her face. Her hands, however, which now gently cradled the small package close to her, told him otherwise.  
"Yes, that's what I figured," he returned the nod with the slightest hint of a smile. However, before she could be sure of that smile, he was continuing down the hall in that smooth, swaggering way of his. Her gaze lingered at the naked small of his back until she realized that she was watching him. She continued in the opposite direction, although now she had quite forgotten what her business was. So instead, she returned to her quarters. Her hands shook faintly as she opened the box and pulled out its contents: a decidedly detailed glass sculpture with an imperfection at its center. She frowned at the twinkling glass owl and wondered if he knew how she had lost her eye. Did he dare mock her with an owl? Before her anger could get to her, she noticed something about the imperfection at the center. Upon further inspection, she realized that the little white cloud was in the shape of a dove. _And this reminded him of me?_ She gazed at the ornament for a very long time, wondering why he had given it to her and what kind of person he might be to give it to her. _What do you expect to gain from an owl?_ She silently asked the glittering figure. For some reason, it did not draw any of the painful flashbacks that she feared at first. _Kuja…?_  


***  


Beatrix knew not the why of what she did, only that she did not want to think of him any more than she wanted him to think of her. It was a good excuse, at least. However, it seemed as if sometimes he could tell what she was thinking. Or worse, what she was feeling. Both were disturbing notions. _She_ didn't even know what she was feeling half the time. She wanted Kuja out of her life: of this much she was certain. So she found him on the balcony, staring at the twin moons through the exquisite painted windows. She was painfully aware of the fact that she was not to be as smooth as he had been; however, she was not attempting to accomplish the same sort of thing as he had been. No, she would be unapproachable.  
"I thought I might find you here," she lied. It sounded like a haughty thing to say.  
"What's wrong?" he turned to look her straight in her good eye.   
"Wrong?" She blinked. _Everything, you cad_.  
"You said you were looking for me," he turned his head in that mock-inquisitive manner of his. She watched his locks of spun silver fall from his shoulder and glanced also to the ones that fell on his face. "I assumed, therefore, that something was wrong, for there is no other reason I can think of for you to look for me." Beatrix could only hope the color did not rise in her cheeks. _Damn you, Kuja. I know I'm no good at these games… _There was no reason for her to be. How she desperately wished she could just run him through and be done with it.  
"Um… I had a reason… I just didn't want to be thinking of you," she said passing him a small white box. He took it from her hand, his fingers fleetingly brushing hers.  
"Of course," the smile was there, at the corners of his mouth, "we can't have _that_, now can we?" She shook her head rapidly and made off the way she came, a little more quickly than strictly necessary. He smiled in full when she had gone, and inspected the little package. _ Perhaps it is the owl again? I sincerely doubt it. Beatrix is far too interesting for that_. He savored the unknowing for a while; it was never that he received things in boxes. He was proven correct as he opened it, pulling out a good-sized stone. It was perfectly blue. _Hmm… What is this? Ultima substance? No…_ He held it up to the moonlight, and his breath caught in his throat. The stone was still blue, but in the light it shone a deep crimson at its heart. _Lucky guess, Beatrix? Or do you know more than you're letting me on? How did you pick up on this?_ He gazed at the place where he saw her last, but she had left. _Now what?_ he thought, completely baffled. He had a sudden urge to see her again, what had just transpired had been too much and too little. He was at a stalemate with a Gaian. He could make no further moves… _What a woman…_  


***  


Beatrix couldn't sleep. She tried hiding the owl, but her answers lay not with the glass figure. She hid all things silver from catching her eye, but the liquid metal shone thoroughly in her mind. She moved about her room like a restless lioness. No comfort was found in her bed; no ease of agitation was available from the view of the sleeping city. It was one in the morning, and she was _still_ thinking about Kuja. This enraged her, _what will it take to get you out of my head?!_ True, he was unlike any other man she'd met, but this was not necessarily a good thing. She glanced at her clock; it was now 1:30. She rolled off her rumpled pillows and got dressed. _He's a mage, right? Maybe this is his doing_ . Tonight, he was just down the hall. She slipped through the sleeping corridor to stand before the oaken door that led to his room. Taking a deep breath, she rapped on it quickly. After two tedious minutes without an answer, she knocked again, more urgently this time. _Come on you… I know you're in there, so you can't hide from me_. After seconds that seemed like hours, she heard a faint stirring within. The door opened, to reveal a groggy and less than groomed Kuja. He had _obviously_ not been losing any sleep over _her_.  
"Yes…?" he grumbled, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. He was more naked than usual, now dressed in nothing but a loose, silken loincloth. She looked up at his face to delightedly witness the authentic surprise that registered on his face when he realized that the caller was herself.  
"We need to talk," she stated.  
"At this—"  
"Now." she insisted. He ran a hand through his incredibly long hair then shrugged, opening the door wider as he receded into the room. Some white light sparked at his fingertips as he waved them over the candelabra, leaving all five wicks lighted. She closed the door and stood opposite the bed, which he had just sat down on.  
"Fine," he said, although it was relatively clear that it was not fine at all. "What is it?"  
"I insist that you stop this," she demanded formally.  
"Stop what?" She had never seen Kuja look so confused, but he was half asleep.  
"Whatever this is…that you're doing to me… This spell that has kept me up thinking of you… Stop it."  
"…I have cast no such spell," he offered gently after a moment of staring at her. _He's not so intimidating now_, Beatrix thought. _But if he honestly hasn't… He would have smeared that fact in my face_.  
"I don't believe you," she snorted. "For what other reason would I lose sleep over the thought of you, the pestering thought of _you_ , that will not go away?" Kuja raised a solitary eyebrow over an expression that shadowed amusement.  
"That, General, I wouldn't know," he soothed.  
"How _dar__e_ you suggest that I have feelings for you?!" she all but screeched.  
"Did I?" He was obviously was awake now, and fully functional. He wasn't so nice anymore, and she just wanted to end this. She threw her sword on the ground between them, and placed her hands on her hips defiantly.  
"I just want this stupid game to end, Kuja with no other name. Do your worst; I've never lost." He looked over at the candelabra, and four of the lights winked out, leaving the one standing, dimly lighting the room with odd shadows in between.  
"You have just challenged the wrong man." He stood up, his slender frame glowing in the candlelight, as if it possessed it's own shine.  
"Be assured that I will not hesitate to kill you," she warned, her eyes narrowing at his acceptance of a duel. Lightly, he stepped over the Save the Queen to stand a few feet in front of her.  
"I don't doubt it," this time, there was indeed a smile…a true smile. And his soul was there, in all its vagrant vainglory, resting on its windowsill with all the lonesomeness of poor Juliet. It was all quite clear to her now: he desperately needed someone, but he would look to no one. It was also apparent, that not even she was worthy to him. _So you bare yourself to me like this because you don't think I'm capable of either helping or destroying you?!_ She slapped him. Or tried to. His impossibly fast hand was up, catching her wrist. She drew in a breath in utter amazement that he could be that strong, that she was truly in a dangerous situation. However, he took only what was given freely, taking her hand in both of his and examining it closely. She shivered as he traced her lifeline with his finger, an odd feeling consuming her as he studied her fingers ever so slowly, ever so _gently_, as one might scrutinize a sculpture or other work of art. She blushed, realizing that her fingernails were far less than perfect. _Why would I care about that?!_ He was captivating her very mind, and she didn't like that. Not at all.  
She struck again, kicking at his bare leg. Their shins connected as he blocked this as well. He was still captivated by her hand, caressing it as one might comfort an injured bird. After a moment of standing with their shins together, she attempted once more. Her other hand lunged for his milky-white cheek. This time, she stopped it herself, her fingers gliding across his face as swans might land on water. His heel slid behind hers, drawing her close to him. She did not resist…her anger had been melted away by her sudden compassion, and lust, for him. _Perhaps…perhaps we are lonely the same way? _she tried to excuse her pleasure. She sighed softly as their hips locked together. She took her hand from him to run it through the silver stream that trickled noiselessly down his back. His hands found their way to her back and her hair. No words were spoken; neither of them was capable of saying anything worthwhile. His head dropped its altitude, his nose brushed hers, and he lingered close to her mouth. Conversely, it was Beatrix who kissed Kuja.  
  
  
Do your worst! I too have never lost!   
Eh, for all the good that does me.   
If you love Kuja, either put on a thong or go read the INDWELLING (author: Keeper of Lies).   
Or both.   
This means you, Beatrix! 


	11. The Mercy of Women

betweenpart11

Grrr...review you morons... I'm in a really bad mood.  
This is cleanup. Bye.  
  


***  


A knock on the door stirred Beatrix from a satisfying session of slumber. She sighed herself into a semi-consciousness and rolled over to answer. A hand clasped firmly over her mouth, and, before she could protest, the question was asked for her:  
"Yes?" She froze at the recognition of the voice.  
"Breakfast is served, Lord Kuja," a far inferior voice replied. "Her Majesty requires your presence."  
"I shall be there shortly," the reverberating resonance filled the room—filled her head—as she remembered what had transpired mere hours ago. The footsteps of the servant steadily drifted away; Kuja's hand lingered at her mouth a similar amount of time. She turned and smiled up at him as he seated himself beside her on the bed. _So he will not gloat his triumph over me…why was I afraid?_ He was fully, so to speak, dressed now, which was far more than she could say for herself. "Good morning, General." No three other words would she have preferred from his mouth.  
"Mmm…" she purred as she stretched lazily beneath the sheets as an unsettled cat might shift in the sunbeams. Her sunbeam had grown very warm. "What time is it?" He removed himself from the bed, taking the sheets with him.  
"Time for breakfast, I am told," he told her, his eyes of the deepest of all Azure taking in her full glory. The knight's eye snapped open.  
"Egad! I am late!" She sprang from the bed and ravenously scavenged the floor for her uniform. He laughed softly and helped her into her outfit. Raising a dainty finger to his lips, he opened the door and looked both ways, and seeing a clear hallway, motioned her over. He sent her on her way down the hall with a love tap to her rear and a word of reassurance:  
"I'm certain the princess does not mind these spare moments to herself." He could be kind when he wanted to be.  
  
  
*Treno, about a year and a half later  
Hilda stood in the lobby waiting for the servant to return. He had not even offered he a seat while he went to talk to his master. If he _had_ known who she was, he most certainly would have offered her a seat, but she was not revealing her identity to anyone. Still, was it not proper to offer a lady a seat? Finally, the servant returned.  
"Follow me," he said. "His Lordship will see you." Actually, she was very curious about the mystery man who now controlled the estate of the King's family. Too bad she needed his help now. He would probably be very self important and hard to deal with. She was led through vagrant halls to wind up in a splendid room full of tapestries. The servant bowed and left. The lord turned to look at her. Hilda was not sure which shocked her more: the way that he dressed, or the fact that he was in his early twenties.  
"Would you care for a seat, Lady Hilda?" he asked right away. This pleased her manners, but she had quite forgotten them.  
"I hadn't announced myself," she eyed him suspiciously. "How did you know it was me?"  
"I know many things," he shrugged non-chalantly. "There is a chair right there." Begrudgingly, Hilda seated herself. "Wine?" the pale lord asked.  
"No thank you," she answered. He smiled at her, toy fully. She had little idea what to make of this.  
"To what do I owe the honor of your presence?" he asked finally.  
"I'd prefer my presence went unnoticed," she nodded, "…I am in need of your assistance."  
"I see," he stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Trouble with your husband?" She found her feet in shock.  
"H-h-how…?!" she stuttered until she was cut off.  
"I assumed, since you ask not for Cid's help. I daresay he has better resources than myself, therefore…"  
"I see," she sat back down. "I heard that you were from away; I hoped that you could get me to a place where Cid might not find me."  
"That I can do," was all he said.  
"But?" she asked after catching on.  
"I may require your airship." Hilda laughed aloud. She knew what he referred to. And he could keep Cid's precious steam-powered airship, the _Hilda Garde_, for all she cared. He'd loved that ship more than he had loved her anyway.  
"Refuge for an airship? It is a deal."  
  
  
*Alexandria, several months prior to disc 1  
Beatrix was spending another lonely night with her thoughts. She stood on the dock, staring at two of six moons hanging in the sky over the waters. A gentle breeze wafted through the warm night air, batting at the curls of her brown hair as it passed by. It was a gorgeous night in an ugly world; Beatrix could reap no comfort from little pleasures. The Queen intended to start a war. It was as if Beatix's life had been a woefully strong and steady build-up to this point. Now that she was General, there would be a war. She knew war and she knew what to do with a war. She was the force of the battlefield, the woman who knew no mercy. She was the factor that would determine the winner. But that there would be war…she could find no comfort.  
_My queen…surely you know best…I will follow you and I will protect you._ Two strong arms entwined themselves around her waist. She knew these arms, she knew them well, and she did not want them there.  
"Where have you been?" she asked him reproachfully.  
"What sort of question is that?" his face entered her line of vision with a questioning look plastered to it.  
"You've been making more black mages, have you not?" It was more of an accusation than a question that came from her mouth as she pulled from his embrace.  
"That's what I'm paid to do…" he gave her an odd look. _Yes, that's the excuse you've given me all this time…I'm a woman, give me the answers, Kuja._  
"What do you really want? I know it's not the money you're after, so tell me." His hand came up to rest under her chin and his fingers slid along her smooth jaw line. She ignored his touch and continued to stare deeply into his eyes, awaiting her answer.  
"As insightful as you are, General, you cannot possibly hope to understand what it is that I am after. It has little to do with this place…" his voice trailed off and he shrugged, his arms dropping to his sides. He turned to leave.  
"Try me!" she called after him, the desperation in her voice surprising even her. But she needed answers, and he knew something she didn't. He looked back at her, eventually turning himself to the dual moonlight.   
"I'd rather not," he smiled that smile, a sadness settling in his eyes. It was that sadness. Everything about him settled down to this that he wouldn't tell her. This was the answer, and she was denied it. A rage built into her—the rage she thought she had put away that night. She swiftly strode over to him and finally slapped him on his ivory cheek.  
"I was a virgin!" she screamed in his face. You owe me!!  
"Yell that to the whole castle, why don't you?!" he responded, his calmness tried. The following moment was suspended as they gazed again into each other's souls. _So…_ she realized as he tenderly rubbed his reddened cheek. _It was not just my reputation you've been protecting all this time… You've been protecting me from the truth. I am not worthy of the truth, Kuja? I am helpless and innocent, Kuja?_  
"You are the proudest, most self-important bastard I know," she spat angrily, "and I am sorry to have known you!" She brushed past him, leaving him at the dock. What was worse was that he simply let her go.  
  
  
*Alexandria, day before disc 1  
_ No one will listen to me… There must be a way to stop this… Uncle Cid, you said I could always come to you with my problems; you said that when Father died. Please listen to me… I am coming.__  
_  
  
There, I finished it. Okay, okay...yes there _is_ more!! Lots more! But will you read it? You're gonna hafta convince me to finish this.  
btw, read the INDWELLING, it's good...  



	12. Immoral Rythm

disc 1   
It's back. Yes, it is. I don't know how updates will work, but since I _ might_ have more free time...  
Anyway, read review, and sorry about the paraphrasing, but I didn't feel like rewriting everything.  
  
*Treno, same day  
Vivi was confused. He had a ticket for the play, but they wouldn't let him on the airship to go to Alexandria. After spending all of his money on the ticket, he wouldn't get to see the play…  
"B-but… I-I have a ticket. S-see?" He held it up for the man to see.  
"That's a play ticket, not a boat ticket," the man turned him away again. Vivi walked away sadly, sniffling as he went.  
"Hey there!" another man came towards him, carrying a sack which he set down. "What's wrong, little guy?" In fits of broken language, between his stuttering and sniffling, Vivi managed to tell the man what was wrong.  
"Wait right here," he said and walked onto the ship. He came back moments later. "All clear! You have the captain's permission. Go on ahead!"  
"Th-thanks!" Vivi said. He was going to Alexandria after all.  
  
*the Prima Vista, moments before the opening sequence  
Zidane pressed his face into the pillow. This was so obviously a kidnapping job, what with the sleeping weed he had to pick up before hand and all. And he had a hunch, what with the political unrest, that the target was the princess herself. A potentially dangerous job, the least was said. So he figured he slip in a nap. However, it wasn't that the Alexandrian security concerned him so much as the idea of pulling off a less than perfect job in front of a girl, and a princess none the less. No, the nap was definitely in order. Too bad he couldn't sleep. He rolled over to look at the ceiling.  
"Yeah, I know the drill," he told it. "I will finally doze off two seconds before I should get up. Mwa-ha-ha. Word up, Leo. My kinsman's suffering will not have been in vain, for I shall instruct thee in his incomparable pain. You gotta love that line."  
"Oh I do," Blank said as he came into the room to get something.  
"Mine," Zidane reminded him rolling over to look at him.   
"You can have it for all I care. Meeting in half and hour, so don't be late, sleepyhead."  
"Eh, you'd be better off telling me to be late," Zidane rolled onto his back.  
"No, then you'd be thirty-five minutes late instead of just ten. I know what I'm doing… You just fell asleep, didn't you?" Certain enough, Zidane was sleeping soundly. "Huh, at least you won't screw up now." Blank shook his head as he left the room.  
  
*Alexandria Castle, duh.  
Garnet left during the excitement of the dueling scene. It would take her a while to get changed, and she'd still need time to sneak aboard the ship. Hopefully, no one would notice her absence. She had to do this on her own, and she had to do it right. _Here goes… _She waited for the guards to take their rounds outside, the she dashed out onto the balcony to nearly collide with one of the Pluto knights. She stopped dead in her tracks, her breath caught in her throat. She let it out, quickly realizing that it was_ not_ one of the Pluto Knights. _No… he's one of the noble man's knights. He should just let me pass. _But no… he was staring intently into her eyes. She was suddenly concerned that she was already discovered.  
"Um…is there something on my face?" she squirmed with discomfort. Her words apparently broke his concentration, a light popped on in his eyes, as if calling him back to Gaia.  
"Oh, no!" he quickly assured her. "I just thought you might be the one I've been waiting for all this time." _Damn, if that wasn't a little straightforward_, Zidane mentally slapped himself to spare her the trouble.   
"Um…you were waiting for me?" _Have they known about my plans all along?_ Garnet was really concerned now.  
"Yeah…" _No backing down now…_ He cocked his head slightly to the side, the honey blonde strands swaying to the side, his eyelids lowered slightly over blue-green orbs. "I've been wanting to meet you here ever since the day I was born." _Good grief, since when was I this corny?!_  
"Do you mock me?" Garnet asked, flustered. _Is this how you peasants treat normal girls? Do I look stupid to you?_  
"No! Of course not!" _Can I blow it any harder? Maybe it's cause she's the princess. Dammit, how do you pick up a princess?!_  
"Then I shall take my leave of you," Garnet sighed. _ That was really weird…_  
"Wait a sec!" _Eh, can I try the old way now?_ "Haven't we met before?" _That sounded a little better. Kind of._  
_What?!_ "No…" Garnet was really confused now. And he wouldn't stop staring into her eyes. "I do not know you."  
"Hmmm," he said his eyes leaving hers to examine…the rest of her. She felt like she was on display as he walked around her, eyeing every inch of her body. _What…?_  
"Hmmm," Zidane came back the other way. _She is g-o-r-g-e-o-u-s. I'm such a numb skull… Ack, line! Line!_ "Yeah, I guess you're right. I'd never let someone as gorgeous as you get away." _Better, boy. Muuuuch better. See, she's blushing now._ Garnet's breath caught in her throat. _What…?_  
"You…think I'm beautiful?" _Are you supposed to tell me that? What is going on?_ He looked slightly taken aback by her reply. _You've never been told that before? Am I not supposed to let you know just how good-looking you are?! Crap…_  
"Definitely," he nodded vigorously. _Ack, cut to the chase. Cut to the chase. _"Say you wouldn't—"  
"What's going on, Zidane?" Blank cut in. _That, I would like to know._ Garnet was becoming increasingly concerned about getting caught.  
"I—I must go!" she knocked both of them over and fled down the stairs.  
"Get up. Blank! That was Princess Garnet!" Zidane leapt over his cohort and tore after her. _He knew?!_ Garnet picked up her pace. She had to lose him…  
_Man, when I wanted to cut to the chase, I didn't mean this!_ Zidane thought as he pulled off his armor coming out of the castle after her. Free of the excess metal, he carried on in hot pursuit. _So much for not screwing it up…_  
Garnet glanced back to see him gaining on her. _What kind of knight is he? I can't let him catch me…_ She suddenly had an idea and raced for the tower, rushing up the endless flight of stairs. He stayed in stride just behind her. _Go girl, go!_ Zidane rooted in his head despite his need to catch her. Despite herself, Garnet was slightly impressed. _ He's not a knight at all…_She let him chase her until she had enough lead to climb up and get a rope. She watched him pant at her feet for a moment before smiling sweetly and leaving him standing there. He, however, was not about to be outdone. Once inside the ship, she finally stopped running.  
"So you finally made up your mind?" he asked, although he had no idea why he was still trying to pretend that this was a normal conversation. _So he's…an actor?_ Garnet thought.  
"Do you work on this theatre ship?"  
"Yeah," he scratched his head.  
"…I wish to be kidnapped. Right away!" _And I think you might actually be able to do it,_ Garnet began to realize how fortunate she was. Zidane was now completely confused. KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!!  
"Please! They've come for me!" she pulled her hood back over her face. _Oooh. She was concerned that I was going to stop her from escaping the castle. Now it makes sense. Heck, it isn't every day some adorable, rich girl begs you to kidnap her, right?_ Zidane got down on one knee, and with utmost sincerity:  
"Very well, then, your Highness. I shall hereby do my best to kidnap you." Of course, now that he was getting it right, Cinna had to cut him off short.  
  
*Just outside of the Evil Forest, later obviously  
Garnet awoke with an aching head. She sat up and groaned, remembering the destruction of the theatre ship, being captured by plants…  
"You rescued me?" she asked the blobs of light around her.  
"Your highness!" this was Steiner's voice. "It is my sworn duty to protect you. " _Steiner rescued me? Ah well… At least he's not an eligible knight. I don't want a knight, anyway._  
"What are you talking about?" She knew this voice too, but it took her a moment to place the name. "It was Vivi's magic and my dagger that got you out of there, Princess." She looked up at him. He seemed very indignant and somewhat upset. She suddenly felt very guilty about the whole ordeal.  
"You both have my gratitude," she smiled at him. He wasn't looking at her, though. He was staring off towards the forest, a sadness hovering in his face. She hadn't really noticed his face before then, but now she took the opportunity to examine it. He had an odd profile that did not match any form of standard good looks, but somehow he managed to be fully attractive. Only at the moment, _he looks so sad… _He glanced at her and smiled half-heartedly.  
"That monkey is not worthy of your praise!!" Steiner shouted angrily. Zidane cast him a fleeting death glare before rolling his eyes back into his head. He turned his back to Steiner and walked away, swishing his tail and humming something as Steiner continued. "…and for him to claim he has rescued you—!"  
"Steiner, I left the castle of my own free will," she blurted. Leave him alone; it's not his fault. She heard Zidane turn around behind her.  
"Impossible!" Steiner shouted.  
"It's true," she nodded.   
"Interesting coincidence, eh?" Zidane chimed in behind her. "We went to snatch her and she wanted to be snatched." _What? _ Garnet thought.  
  
*Just Outside of the South Gate, um, after the Festival of the Hunt  
She felt bad, really. He had just been trying to protect her. But that was the thing; everyone was always trying to protect her. Zidane had always treated her as an equal, not only admitting that she could make decisions for herself but also respecting that. Everyone else had always simply protected her; her opinion did not matter. But Zidane… she had begun to trust him. But then he did it too. _"You don't understand," he'd said. Like I'm a helpless child. You're no different from everyone else._  
"There must be a way to get past those guards," Steiner said. "We cannot risk you getting caught." _"They're not looking for the rest of us, so we'll just hide you."_ Zidane's voice was there again. It had been helpfully haunting her the whole trip here. Unfortunately, Zidane had not told her how he planned to pull that off. She thought about it for a moment, and by chance happened to notice a glysal pickle vendor at the foot of the mountain. _Ugh, so that's what that smell was. Hey, wait a moment…__  
_  
*Burmecia, just before the end of disc one  
The rain made the whole situation feel better. Actually, the entire surrounding was quite lovely. What dampened the ecstasy were the beings about the place. The rat people were ugly enough on their own; they did not need the assistance of being half burned into cinders as well. And there was the elephant woman as well. Her irritation of the princess's disappearance could not compare to his, but he was infinitely more patient than she could hope to be. However, he could take some comfort that now that he had managed to start a war, Garland would not bother him about the lack of available souls. What was rather disgraceful was that he hadn't to try very hard. The queen was a truly disgusting person.  
Perhaps what made things the worst was that the general would not so much as look at him. She was the shaft of light in this grim place that rendered it as a piece of heaven, and he could not so much as get a glimpse of her good eye. So he turned his attention to the rain instead. The wet, coolness of it poured over his skin as if to take his troubles with it. How long could he stand there with his face to the rain?  
Beatrix was sick of being ignored. The queen only acknowledged her presence when she wanted to bitch about something or order her around. _She's just upset because her daughter's missing,_ she tried to assure herself. Presently, they were still trying to find the King of the Burmecians.  
"Beatrix, what's taking so long!?" Brahne nearly screeched at her.   
"I don't know, Your Majesty. I've ordered Zorn and Thorn to search the perimeter, but there's been no word so far. I will join them and lead the search right away." Beatrix must have flinched visibly, because Kuja came to her rescue.  
"You're wasting your time," Kuja stretched lazily as he said this.  
"What?" Beatrix didn't catch on at first.  
"Rats often look for new homes when they sense an earthquake," Kuja spoke with that tone that embodies a dream. "They probably moved to the sandy tree house by now... So, you see, it's too late. The king has already turned tail and fled."  
"Sandy Tree House… Surely you don't mean Cleyra?!" Brahne asked, completely enthralled by his ability to determine the obvious. "It'll be quite difficult if they escaped to Cleyra."   
"Cleyra…" Beatrix didn't want to be left out. "Unless we can get through that sandstorm, it will be impossible to attack them."  
"Sneaky little rats!" Brahne pouted. "Kuja, what do you think? Surely, with your powers, there must be something you can do." _ Of course my military genius is worthless,_ Beatrix turned her back to the scene.  
"Of course, your majesty," Kuja crooned behind her. "I will present you a marvelous display of my power. I am certain that you will be most pleased. I was wondering if you would gather your troops near Cleyra. I'm certain those filthy rats will retaliate in full force, and my black mages may not be enough." Beatrix suddenly realized that this last part was addressing her. _Would you stop reading my mind?! _  
"Of course," she looked back at him and for a dreadful moment, their eyes locked. Thankfully, a foolish rat creature interrupted them. Even better, more creatures quickly joined him. She felt that at least she could give a display of _her_ powers now. The little mage with them was powerful, but he went down easily. The rat dragon knight was tougher, but not much. She went down with a Shock Seiken attack. The one who gave her a run for her money was the boy. The Save the Queen was the most powerful blade in all of Gaia, but it was worthless if one did not land a hit with it. He seemed to understand this, and he was fast enough to avoid being hit.   
He pressed his attack, confining her sword to defensive maneuvers. He was, however, no true opponent: all skill and no power. And although Beatrix did marvel at his skill, he was no threat. It was only a matter of time before he gave her an opening. In the meantime, she had to be careful not to make any mistakes herself. She managed to work up some power into her sword as they dueled about the room. She smirked.  
"Shock…" It missed him by inches as he dove out of the way. He rolled on the ground back into an upright position, where he stood panting heavily. He glanced at his fallen friends. It was here that she realized that he had stripped her of her ether during the course of the battle. "You must think you're pretty good," she smirked again, noting that she could not afford to miss again.  
"Whatever works," he shrugged. This time she charged. He had let his guard down and was too slow. His block was weak and she easily forced his dual-bladed weapon from his hands. To her utter surprise, he retaliated with a jump kick to her gut. As she stumbled backwards, he scrambled for his weapon, which was just to her right. Like she had predicted, he was now tired and sluggish. He was stopped just inches from his weapon, her blade beneath his chin. His breath came in short rasped as his eyes traveled up the length of her sword to look at her face.  
"Uh…guys?" he glanced back at the mage and the rat before returning his gaze to her. She smiled and tapped the underside of his chin with the flat of her blade saying:  
"Up." He complied, raising himself slowly from the ground until he stood before her, his breathing coming in faster rasps than before. He no doubt was expecting the deathblow at any time, and with good reason. "Do you consider yourself a man?" she asked snidely. He didn't miss a beat.  
"Either that or I'm getting pretty close," he replied, smiling nervously. This drew a chuckle from her. She liked warriors like that, and she didn't especially want to waste his talent. Perhaps, there was also some maternal instinct she hadn't managed to beat out… _he is so young. How can he fight like that?_ However, she knew no mercy.  
"Let's find out." He flew backwards from the force of her Stock Break attack and landed squarely on his back, his breath forced from his lungs and his body seething with pain. She walked over to where he lay moaning on the ground. "Get up." He slowly forced himself upright, and even more slowly got one foot underneath of himself. This leg gave out when he attempted to put weight on it and he fell back into a sitting position. "Get up," she repeated. He grunted as he pushed against the ground, but to no avail. Finally, he slowly looked up at her, his face a complete etching of pain.  
"I—" his breath gave out and he couldn't speak. She flipped her hair.  
"Hmph," she sneered. "You're just a boy." She walked away, shaking her head. "How pathetically weak… Isn't there anyone worthy of facing me?" Her gaze avoided Kuja's person entirely. Brahne did not seem impressed by her handiwork.  
"Come, Beatrix," she said as if nothing had happened. "We must prepare to attack Cleyra."  
"Yes, your Majesty," she sighed as she saluted her queen. They made their way to the Airship _Red Rose_.  
Kuja watched them go. He hadn't been interested in the battle so much as watching Beatrix in action. To be honest, it turned out to be far more interesting than he had expected. However, her opponent's technique had been disturbingly familiar. He walked over to the fallen trio.  
"Now, what do we have here...? Another filthy rat, and…" his breath caught in his throat. At first, the similarity was faint, but the strip of blond velvet that trailed along the ground was unmistakable. It had been twelve years. "Hmm… This 'boy' could become a problem…" he finally breathed. He slowly walked towards him. Thick, wet tangles of tawny hair fell from a bowed head. His breathing was labored. Rain made his clothing stick to his slightly frame. _This is what you've made of yourself, Zidane? …it's not really your fault, I suppose. Garland, he survived. That is all. No more, no less._ Kuja chuckled to himself. He would have lingered longer, but the rat was waking up and he didn't want to even seem to have connections to the pitiful creature on the wet ground. _Pitiful, that is indeed the word. Garland, your work of perfection cannot even hold his own against the Gaian woman that I find need to look after. Kuja shook his head demeaningly as he walked away. Pitiful._ Casting one last glance at his little brother, Kuja mounted his silver dragon and took to the downcast skies. _Well, Zidane, you have my pity. _Pity? Really? Kuja sat in thought as he flew to the city that never sleeps. _How can Garland's best be that bad? Honestly_ … He thought about it for a moment.  
***  
"There's nothing special about him," Kuja sniffed. "He looks just like the others."  
"He's even better than you," Garland's smile was that of satisfaction. They watched the tiny genome, who had recently mastered the art of walking, learn the art of fighting. Kuja was painfully aware that he was still struggling with the levels that Zidane was closing in on.  
"He's not even as good as the others," Kuja insisted. "He can't even use simple magic."  
"Magic is nothing."  
"Nothing?!" Kuja was completely incredulous. "But…you practice magic."  
"The blood of the Highlander tribe runs through his veins, Kuja," Garland looked exceptionally pleased with himself. "Magic is nothing to him. It is so useless that it does not exist."  
"…but, what could be more useful than magic?"  
"Dyne."  
"Dyne? What's that?"  
"I don't know," Garland's smile grew.  
"You…what?" Kuja was now completely baffled. "But—"  
"It was once translated to me as 'the conversion of ideas into energy,'" Garland looked at him. "What he can do is incomprehensible to me. He can draw power from his mind… I don't know how, but I saw it done once before. It's possible and he can do it himself."  
"He can do anything he thinks he can do?" Kuja suggested, completely overwhelmed. Garland chuckled.  
"That's another way to put it. He's unstoppable." Kuja was quickly becoming frustrated with Garland's vagueness, plus he was increasingly feeling threatened by this "special" genome, this new angel of death.  
"Let's see it then," Kuja snorted.  
"See the dyne?" Garland laughed. "But he's just a child. His dyne must mature first."  
"His mind must mature?"  
"That's a significant part of the process, yes," Garland continued watching the little boy in the simulation chamber.  
"Well, how long will that take?" Kuja sighed in aggravation.  
"He should mature when he reaches his seventeenth year. That's the way it worked in the Highlanders records. A child who had reached the age of seventeen would be sent on a journey to anywhere, where they would wander until they understood their dyne abilities. They would come home and put their abilities to the benefit of their tribe..."  
***  
_Beatrix is correct,_ Kuja realized. _He's just a boy. He cannot even be a threat to me until he reached his seventeenth year._ Kuja did the math in his head. There were easily several months for Zidane to go. It was not that amount of time until he gained control of Alexander, he knew. Zidane would be too late. _Maybe I'm just cocky, Garland. Just an arrogant imperfection that is pleased with the way he stands out. Stands out far above your plans. You said I was unworthy, yet how many people just now died? How many more in the next few days? All your plans lay idle, and yet your goals are accomplished. What am I Garland?_ Kuja laughed into the open skies. _Imperfect? At least I am not pitiful._  
  
  
yei. I'll try to get more, just bare with me.  



	13. Heaven's Distress

disc 2.1 This chapter's a lil shorter than I planned.... put it's coming along. Enjoy! n_n  
  
  
  
*Treno, mere moments later  
"Welcome home," the servant said. The greeting was irrelevant. This was not home. Nowhere on Gaia could be home. This had not bothered Kuja for years, but quite suddenly, he was homesick. He desperately missed the recovering terrain, a whole world away. The world he would soon own. _It's because of Zidane; I am reminded of times long past. They were not good times… Surely these times were better. _He made his way over to his balcony overlooking the auction. It would certainly get his mind of things: to watch completely inferior being willingly deposit large sums of monetary value for completely worthless and overpriced items. He by chance happened to scan the heads below…  
_ Garnet? Here?_ The princess turned and walked out the door, apparently not even noticing him. It was all he could do not to laugh out loud. _So, you've returned to me, my little summoner? Of course, the restless canary was let out of the cage, away from morals and duty, but she finds that she too, becomes homesick. She must return to the cage. As must I._  
  
*Burmecia, about the same time  
Freya crawled over to Zidane, who, upon the departure of all the enemies, had promptly fallen over. He trembled and shivered from his pain and the rain. Freya felt very guilty. She had been numb and almost completely paralyzed from the attack Beatrix had landed on her, so she had just lain there while Zidane had taken on the knight by himself. She felt guilty, as she watched him suffer on the wet ground. He was so giving: he had abandoned the safety of his home to help her protect hers, and then he had risked his life for her and Vivi, who was still unconscious. Zidane never ceased to amaze her. She had one potion with her, but she knew he wouldn't take it, not with Vivi still lying on the ground. She placed her hand gently on his shoulder, feeling the damp quivering of his hairless skin.  
"You were very brave, Zidane," she said, hoping it might offer some condolence. His shoulders shook slightly as a shallow laughter echoed between the silver drops of falling water. "You were," she insisted. He forced himself upright again, although not so stiffly as before.  
"Just a boy…" he murmured, between his gasps pain, "and a fool. Hey, Vivi? Are you alright?" Freya shook her head with admiration. If only she had been like this, without thinking of herself all the time  
"I have a potion…just one," she knew what he'd say.  
"Give it to Vivi," just as she'd predicted. "Maybe we can get him to wake up." To Freya's astonishment, Zidane slowly stood up and walked over to Vivi, his tail aiding him when he stumbled. He was recovering right before her eyes. They soon left for Cleyra.  
  
*Just outside of Cleyra, a day or so later  
Beatrix watched the sandstorm as she heard Kuja approach her from behind. At first she ignored him as he drew alongside to watch along with her. But of course, he looked at her.  
"Is something wrong, General?" he asked lightly.  
"Yes, you are invading my personal space," she snipped, surprising even herself. Of course, he surprised her more. He took a step to the side.  
"Is that better?" he asked, politely. _Damn you, Kuja._  
"It'll have to do for now." He smiled that smile and looked up at the towering pillar of flying sand. His sole purpose in this operation was to dispose of this sandstorm. Beatrix could almost not help but laugh at the idea. The sandstorm had been quite safe for centuries. She watched him stare intently at it for a while. "You _do_ know what that is, right?" He glanced at her, wearing a smile she had never seen before: one of admiration.  
"It's a magic barrier powered by a magic source from within, highly effective. I have never seen one anywhere close to this magnitude."  
"You have to get inside to turn it off then."  
"Something along those lines."  
"This storm has existed for a thousand years, Kuja," she finally stated that she didn't think he could do it. He smiled again, apparently getting the message. His ice blue eyes focused into the funnel of sand. Then they closed, his brow furrowing into concentration. The air around him slowly began to bear a crimson light. His eyebrows twitched periodically. She quickly glanced at the storm. It remained unchanged. Suddenly, Kuja jolted back with a grimace on his face. Her first inclination was to rush to his aid, but she managed to stop herself.  
"I told you," she said instead.  
"He's there…" Kuja murmured before resuming his former position.  
"What? Who?" she asked quickly, sensing that this statement held part of the secret he wouldn't reveal. But he would reveal no more.  
"I lost my concentration," was all the more he would say. The process started over again. This time, the storm began to glow an electric blue. Her soldiers gasped.  
"They're strengthening it…" Kuja groaned and his glow intensified. Both glows continued to intensify until Kuja suddenly let out a gasp. His glow was gone. Streaks of shattered magic ripped away from scattering sand. The storm began to dissipate, as he walked, no, staggered slightly towards his dragon. Only the sight of him in possible distress could have pulled her gaze away from the phenomenon of the century. This was indeed what did it. She turned to watch him lean against the shimmering whiteness of the massive beast's neck, resting his face against it and his own silver locks of hair. He held a hand to his temple. Beatrix walked towards him, resolved not to show any signs of pity.  
"How did you do that?" she demanded, aware that her retinue was watching. He smiled, opened his eyes, and shrugged.  
"Piece of cake," he stepped onto the paw of the silver dragon, which then lifted him up to its back. _He's leaving? After that?_  
"Well, don't you want to eat your cake?" she asked, annoyed. He laughed.  
"Surely you know, General," he chuckled, "you cannot have your cake and eat it too." He slowly settled onto his mount's back.  
"Where are you going?" she asked, her curiosity rising over her irritation.  
"Elsewhere," he responded. Or rather said to avoid responding. Beatrix knew that he wouldn't tell her any more, and she was disturbed by the fact that she hadn't a clue to what was going on. She was supposed to be in charge here.  
"Why?" she blurted in her frustration. He turned his gaze up to the bridge, where the Queen was waiting, his eyes narrowing into an unreadable expression.  
"Because I am next," he replied. Before Beatrix could respond, the force of air from the dragon's wings nearly knocked her over. Kuja left her one lingering glance as the beast spilled from the ship to take on the open skies on its own. _Kuja… You never answer any of my questions………Kuja._  
  
*Alexandria Castle, upon the rescuing of Garnet  
"What the hell?! The only scoundrels around here are you and your fat queen!" he shouted back angrily. Beatrix shook her head again. How the blonde boy had escaped Cleyra she would have really liked to know. Here he stood, along with his comrades, right in front of her. She had to admit: he was incredibly intriguing. _Okay, how did you pull that off?_ she was dying to ask. She had left them fairly weakened when she had left so that her Majesty could use the eidolon. _"This boy could become a problem."_ Kuja had obviously seen something that she hadn't, which wasn't surprising. However, he was in her homeland now. Here he stopped.  
"Fools like you will never learn." This time, she went after him first. He was a little stronger now, and wise to her style. Her first slash at him sent him leaping well out of the way, keeping his distance as Steiner rushed at her. _Steiner, you fool. There is a reason that I have this position._ A Thunder-slash—she batted him aside like a bothersome fly. She dodged a thrown spear and cast Silence on the black mage in the same instant she needed before the one she had to block a quite forceful attack from her tailed foe. She swirled around and made use of her large blade, driving him back. The three others were coming at her. She knew she had to take Zidane out: he was the heart of this operation. He spun his weapon deftly and smoothly, giving her no opening for attack. However, her experience made the difference. He glanced behind him as they drew towards the bema of the throne. As he did so, she barreled all her weight into him, bending his spine over the edge. He cried out in pain and surprise as her knee pressed against his chest, pushing him into the raised floor. The company froze as her sword hovered as his throat.  
"Don't hurt him!" the rat knight's voice rang into her ears, urgently. _Why not? He is a thorn in the foot of all Alexandria. Why should he not be pulled out?_ She looked down into the deep cerulean eyes before her. To her surprise, they showed no fear. It seemed he was probing into her good eye, searching for something… _To what end…?_  
"Your pathetic powers are useless against me," she told him flatly. She was startled by the clattering sound of metal on tile. She glanced down to see his weapon by their feet. He had had it handy the whole time. Before she could be shocked by her own carelessness, he spoke up.  
"Hey, wait a minute…" he breathed despite his awkward position. "You're the general of this kingdom. As the general of Alexandria, isn't it your sworn duty to protect Dagger—your princess, Garnet?" She stared at him for a moment. _Are you taking advantage of my sense of purpose? What are you getting at?_ Before she could ask these questions… "I'm sure you know who's sitting over there." He motioned with a gentle nod of his head toward the throne. She followed his gaze to Garnet, stretched out in a deathlike state.  
"It can't be…" Beatrix got off of the blonde and quickly ascended the stairs. Zidane quickly retrieved and sheathed his weapon before joining her. "Princess…"  
  
_I've been a fool. Kuja saw it, why couldn't I? The queen is full of greed no matter how many lives are lost, she will never be satisfied. I've killed—without reason, I have conducted the destruction of two civilizations. And now a third… _She looked upon the princess, alive but dead as easily. She glanced at the boy, Zidane. His eyes were upon Garnet, full of naught but concern. Deep concern. He was from Lindblum. He had to be. T_hen a fourth? I don't know who you are or what you want, but I should thank you. However, I cannot thank you. I can do nothing._  
"You can help your princess." Beatrix stared at the speaker, the knight Freya, for a second. _Can I?_  
"I can try," she answered. _Can I stop what I've helped set in motion? I can naught but try… _She tried, but to no avail_._ She shook her head. _I can do nothing._  
"Irrevocable is the spell we have cast!" The words in themselves were a challenge… Beatrix tried again. For nothing.  
"It is useless!" _I am useless. I can do nothing. _ She looked up to the boy, almost ready to apologize. He was biting his lip, his eyes dry—the dry before the flood. His soul wept, his heart bled… Beatrix could read each and every one of his emotions through his face. He emanated his feelings as a flame spread it's light. _He loves the princess. Or at least is beginning to have strong feelings for her. His actions against Alexandria… He knew all along? Why am I so useless?!_ He caught her eye and flashed her a smile of encouragement. His emotion changed when he looked at her. _Hope. You want her to live? I cannot blame you... Optimism. Third time's the charm? You think I can do it? Of course, you seem to think the Impossible can be. Why not? You pulled off some stunts. Desperation? No. Your attitude made the difference. _PLEASE_. You believed? Desperation. **Must**._ Beatrix did not try. She did.  
  
  
Bababum! *bows* *her back cracks* Ack.... I'll try to get the next part out. I know we're all getting old while I write this. PATIENCE. It makes a difference.  
Oh, and, although this is kinda like plugging myself, read "The Indwelling" by ....Mistress of the Mist. *makes face at new pen name* I don't want her to quit; she quits too often in the face of opposition. Review! Me too!  



	14. Footsteps of Desire

Real quick, someone said that I putzed up the timeline. Okay now, I know I've taken some liberties with a lot of things here, but the timeline is not one of them!! The thing about Madain Sari was a decision that took me forever. True, Eiko said "ten years ago." However, Zidane noted that the place had been in ruins for "at least ten years," Garnet said the storm occured "over ten years ago," and Kuja said "more than ten years ago." I dunno, who are you gonna go with? The six year old girl wo hadn't been born yet, or the three people who were directly involved? I went with twelve because 1) Garland said that he had lost Zidane 12 years ago and 2) there's something to suggest that Zidane was present at the destruction of Madain Sari that you may recall and that I will get into later. How different is 10 to 12 any way? Now that that's been cleared up, enjoy!  
  
  
*Lindblum, after the attack by Atomos  
Garnet was beside herself. She stared at the ground as she followed Zidane through the mass of devastation, and she didn't do this only to avoid being recognized. _Mother? Why? WHY? __**WHY**__ ? _She couldn't imagine the answers. She couldn't believe what was happening. Garnet was so preoccupied with her inner torment that she nearly ran into Zidane's back when he stopped. She looked up to realize that some girl had just run up and thrown herself into his arms, where she was now weeping hysterically. Garnet's thoughts melted as she became green with envy, watching Zidane try to sooth the sobbing beauty. He patted her back, whispering:  
"It'll be all right, Maggie."  
"How can it be?!" the girl wailed. "They got Peter…Peter…he's gone! GONE!" Zidane's eyebrows furrowed in distress; as he continued to comfort this one girl another came up, looking only slightly more composed.  
"Zidane?" He looked at her; worry clouded his features for the first time Garnet could remember.  
"What else is wrong, Priscilla?" The girl looked like she was about to say something, but then she also burst into tears. Zidane moved Maggie to one shoulder before motioning Priscilla over to the other. Garnet's anger and jealousy flared, until she noticed that Zidane looked ready to cry as well. _My gods, Zidane…your hometown. How could I be so pigheaded? All I could do was selfishly worry about myself while you watched your home get destroyed, and you treated me with this same kindness._ Garnet must have been looking distraught now, because Zidane cast her a weak smile.  
"I'm pretty sure I have room for one more, Dagger."  
"I'm fine," she blushed. The two women in his arms quieted down a bit as Zidane stepped back.  
"It'll be all dandy in a bit, ladies," he smiled reassuringly. "We're strong, and I'm sure Cid'll think of something. But right now, I'm kinda hunted, so I'd better split."  
"Wretched Alexandrians," Priscilla nodded at him understandingly. Garnet's heart dropped through her shoes, but both of the Lindblum girls smiled at her when Zidane grabbed her wrist and pulled her down the street after him. Garnet never felt so heavy.  
  
*Treno, shortly afterwards  
Beatrix slowly opened her eyes with a groan. She sat up to look around, which took a surprising amount of effort. All she could remember was the Bandersnatches—the never-ending Bandersnatches—that she and the other two knights had spent forever fighting off. She didn't know where she was. She looked at the bed opposite to the one she was on, noticing that Freya was lying unconscious in it. She jumped when she realized the door had opened and someone had come in. She then coolly regarded the small man with deep red hair who walked over to her.  
"Mornin'," he bowed slightly.   
"Where am I?"  
"Treno," he answered, holding up a finger in her face. "How many fingers am I holding up?"  
"…one."  
"Good. Keep your eyes on the finger…" he moved his finger around. She followed it with her eyes for a while before stopping to stare at him dead in the face.  
"What kind of stupid game is this?" she snapped, irritably. He sat back, blinking a few times as far as she could tell.  
"Um…"  
"How did I get here? Where's the princess? What's going on? Where's Steiner?" This last question surprised her for a moment, but she didn't let it hold her back. She grabbed the redhead and shook him, commanding, "Answer me!"  
"Which question?" he asked calmly, although prying at her grasp.  
"ALL OF THEM!" she threw him out of her hand angrily.  
"Then let me explain: I am Blank. Marcus and I came to help Zidane, but as soon as he escaped with the princess, we found you and the other two at the point of passing out. So, we carried you out of there to here. And now you're awake. The beef-head knight, is in the other room by the way."  
"Oh…you came to help…the boy?"   
"That's right," said a voice from the doorway. Beatrix looked up to see the one she quickly recognized as the lead from the play.  
"What the?" she asked but then looked over to see the dragon knight groaning awake.  
"Hey, Freya," Marcus smiled. "That's two, now."  
"Marcus?" Freya muttered, rubbing her eyes. Opening them, she saw the redhead, "Blank? What are you doing here?" _She knows the actors from… and the boy…_ Beatrix's head began to hurt. Just how much was she in the dark? _What_ _the hell is going on here__?__  
_  
*the Iifa tree, you know the time  
Kuja was slightly bothered by the fact that the mist was gone. Not that he needed it anymore, but it meant that the spirit in the Iifa tree, the one that Garland had summoned into it, had been destroyed. Kuja had a pretty good idea of who did this. The suspects were severely narrowed down when it was put into consideration that only a Terran soul could activate the entrances into the tree. _Garland, your little puppy seems to have released your vengeful machine spirit into who knows where. _Kuja could only smile. _Zidane, you're getting close… You may be useful yet._ Red sails lit up like little flames in the horizon.  
Now Kuja had to try to only smile. He failed and burst into ecstatic laughter. He marveled at the joy in his voice as he listened to the echoes of himself against the clouds. She would use Bahamut, the elephant lady. It was the strongest eidolon that Garnet had possessed. She had to use it against him; she would have no other options. Kuja was extremely excited. He had put off even seeing any eidolon until this one. Could he remain patient for a few more minutes?  
  
*the sea, just before the end of disc 2  
Zidane cut loose on the waves. It was a nice little ship, the _Blue Narciss_. Piloting a sea ship was extremely different from piloting an airship. It was fun to experiment, despite Eiko protests and Amarant's snorts of disapproval. But even managing to get a ship this size to roll up the side of a large wave could not make Zidane happy. Brahne was dead. He had hated her, since she had tried to destroy everything that he held dear, but he had never considered the consequences of her death. _ Dagger is queen now. Queen. Damn, it was bad enough that she was a princess._  
Zidane had the ship nearly skimming the surface, as if it were a blue swan, beginning to take flight. He wanted it to. He wanted to fly off somewhere, away from this reality: the reality that he would never see Dagger again. _She's still mad at me, too. Why should I care? It's better that we part here. Better for her country. Better this way… _Unable to agree with his own thoughts, he cut up the side of a long, rolling swell, holding the ship in a tilted position for a full minute before veering sharply to the side of it, bringing the bow of the _Blue Narciss_ completely out of the water for three seconds. _It's your own fault, idiot. Why the hell did you spend all that time trying to win her over? Why? Because I wanted to. Yes, I wanted to. That is why. But it doesn't matter. Why should it? She has all those people to worry about; she shouldn't have to deal with what I want. Heck, I don't even mind my feelings half the time… Well, fine I live by my feelings, but she shouldn't have to. _**Tell her.** _ Tell her what? How I feel? Ha, I don't even know how I feel really. She has enough pressure from her new duties and she's already having her own feelings to deal with. She shouldn't have to deal with my feelings; they'd only make things worse. Hahaha, I always thought that my low class gave me freedom. Why do I long for the gilden cage? Because it's so much nicer than this one I'm in, made of cold ore. Because it's clean and more pleasant. Because Dagger's in it. But I'm bound out of it by my low class. _  
The droplets of seawater that Zidane was pitching into the air were quite lovely, but Amarant was too annoyed by the fact that they were making him wet to notice any beauty. All he had learned of Zidane was that he was an irritating buffoon.   
"This is the last straw," he pulled Zidane away from the wheel, where he had been conducting insanity for over a day. "That mage kid puked on me. It's my turn to pilot." Zidane looked about ready to protest for a moment, but then he nodded.  
"Yeah, I was getting tired anyway," he walked back to the cabin. _Unpredictable as always_, Amarant thought.  
Zidane peeled off his armored vest, gloves and boots before he threw himself into the bed. _Sleep, please sleep…_ _I don't want to think anymore._ Some people cannot sleep because they are afraid of something. Some cannot sleep because they are hungry. Others have disorders. Zidane could only sleep out of need for it, never want. _Lesse, what'll make me sleep? Counting stuff? Nope. I once counted to 7,594 before I gave up. Alrighty then, how about a lullaby? Dagger's song… damn, well, I managed not to think about her for a total of four and a half seconds. Come on, there has to be something else that puts me too sleep. Oh yes, Blank's nagging. Well I'm screwed there. Hmm… _(A/N: he should just step outside and listen to Amarant's theme for a few seconds…)_ Gosh, has nothing else honestly ever made me sleep before? …Maybe I should ask Dagger to sing for me. No wait, she's mad at me. I should apologize—no! It's better for everyone else that we part now, remember? …Zidane, old buddy? Do you really want her mad at you for the rest of eternity? To never consider you with a smile? To never maybe…just maybe, think of you with happy accompaniment again?_ The thought was completely unbearable. He immediately got up and went out to find Garnet, in only his white undershirt, pants, and belt.   
She was at the ships stern, staring out over the waters. She had the same blank look on her face from the last time he had seen her. He realized quite suddenly that he hadn't a clue how she felt, but it didn't stop him from wanting to make her feel better.  
"Dagger?" She glanced at him, but turned back to stare at the trail the boat left in the water. _Well, she didn't shoo me away._ He walked over to her and leaned on the railing, staring out the same direction as she. She looked away. For a moment, neither of them spoke.  
"I guess," he finally said, "I guess I can't possibly understand how you feel. I—I never had a mother to lose. I never meant to hurt you, Dagger. I was kinda trying to stop you from getting to hurt." He glanced at her. She was staring at him with tears in her eyes. Her lower lip was trembling. _Great, I'm upsetting her more. Geez, I'd better hit the punch line_. He looked directly into his eyes. "Can you ever forgive me?"  
"Zidane…" Now she was trembling. "I didn't know…I'm sorry—I mean I'm not mad at you about that—or about anything! I just… I'm… I don't know." She looked out over the water, her eyes flooded with tears. Zidane, relieved that she forgave him, was now only concerned for her. _Keep her feelings before yours, man, he reminded himself before saying anything. She's more important!_  
"Dagger?"  
"I forgive you, Zidane! I really do!" She was trying to hold back her tears. Zidane was trying to keep himself from trembling. He wanted so badly to comfort her, but he was in uncharted territory now. What he did now could result in appalling consequences.  
"I believe you, and thanks," he smiled. _It means a lot to me_, he decided not to say.  
"Zidane?" the sound of her voice saying his name made his heart skip a couple of beats.  
"Yes?" he ventured.  
"Zidane…Zidane," she tried to speak through tremulous lips, only his name coming out. He found this heart wrenching. "Zidane, I'm scared…" she finally managed. _I know. Me too._  
"My shoulder is still available," he offered, carefully and gently. "It always will be," he also added before he could stop himself. He held his breath as he waited for something to come crashing down. After an eternity, she answered.  
"Thank you, I'd like that." Zidane blinked once before opening his arms to her. His heartbeat quickened as she drew close, sobbing. Her hands balled into fists around the material of his shirt; she pressed her head against his neck and her nose bridge to his bare collarbone. Gently, he closed his arms around her, his large hands resting on her back. There, in the safety of his embrace, did she finally burst into tears. Zidane rested his cheek in her hair, uttering a constant, comforting "shh" as her warm tears trickled down his shirt and chest and her shoulders quaked violently beneath his hand. His heart wailed along with her. This was where he longed to be: so close that he could feel her heart beat. And this was his only chance, with her full of sorrow and fears.  
It would never be perfect.  
  
  
  
Sorry it took so long. Maybe I should post the research paper that is hindering me?  



	15. Eye in the Sky

Note from the **washimegami**: Hi, I'm just a bit bitchy right now, so you can skip ahead to the story if you are not that "michelle" person. Grammar mistakes my left foot, you maladroit that won't leave your e-mail address so I have to retort here. Really, find one mistake that you can point out! I edit my fics several times over before I post them! Some of my ellipses usage is odd, true, but not incorrect. You don't like the story? Fine, you can fuss about content all you want, but don't lie about my grammar!   
  
  
*Alexandria, the destruction of Bahamut and Alexander  
_Tell her. Tell her now…_ Zidane knelt in front of Garnet, who was still composing herself. Zidane, overjoyed to see her, overjoyed that she was all right, finally made a decision. _See there, she still needs me. Why should I hide everything from her? The truth, however painful, is the only thing that is fair to everybody._  
"Dagger… I'm sorry…" he really wasn't certain how to say this. _All right, someone, quick, anyone, how do you tell a queen that you love her? …never mind. I think I know. _He bowed his head before continuing. "I don't know why I wasn't honest with you…"  
"Zidane, we mad a really big mess, didn't we?" interrupted Eiko. _Cheez, I can't tell Dagger this in front of Eiko!!_ Eiko practically terrified Zidane. Zidane really couldn't bring himself to hurt her feelings, and he had no clue how to ask a six-year-old girl to leave him alone nicely. So he tended to ignore her when she was hitting on him. But now, how could he confess his love to Dagger in front of Eiko? It wouldn't be pretty… The castle rumbled.  
"We'll talk later! Let's get out of here!" He grabbed Garnet's wrist, pulling her upright, and the three of them raced down the stairs and through the throne room antechamber before bursting through the huge twin doors at breakneck speed; the castle rumbled again. Zidane stopped suddenly at the spot where he and the princess had first encountered each other, both girls ran into his back.  
"Zidane?!" they both interjected simultaneously. Zidane cocked his head and focused on the ceiling, his ears picking out a faint whirring noise through the commotion of destruction. _I know that sound._ It was one of those times that Zidane wasn't about to question his instincts, no matter what odd conclusions they led him to. In a rush of adrenalin, he grabbed both girls, one under each arm and tore down the hall to the royal seating on the balcony.  
"This is no way to treat—"  
"Zidane?! What are you—"  
"Trust me!!" Zidane hollered as he sprang from the balcony into the oblivion of the wretched night, taking both girls with him. And as he did so, the castle ripped apart beneath them in a wave of energy that picked up their flight and tossed them up and over the first wave of destruction. Eiko, being the lightest, was carried all the way out to be deposited in the water, out of harm's way. Zidane and Garnet rolled along the ground when they hit. Zidane looked up to see the castle still being torn apart by the energy and, without a word, threw his body over Garnet's as the wave of demolition swamped them.  
***  
"My gods…" Cid said from the safety of the hills, where he was with all the Alexandrian citizens.  
"Zidane-Eiko-Dagger!!" Vivi screamed all at once.  
"Your Highness!" Steiner fell to his knees. "Beatrix…" He has been separated from her in the battle and had come up the hill in search of her, only to not find her there. Then Alexandria was destroyed. Most of the residents were crying, but now Cid gave out orders.   
"Everyone, get the children and the elderly to the port! I want every able bodied person to go down and search for survivors! Now!"  
"Yeah, Zidane's gotta be alive down there somewhere, right Marcus?" Blank asked nervously.  
"Yeah," Marcus nodded solemnly. They both nearly fell on their faces as Baku slapped them forward.  
"Whatcha waitin' fer?" He scolded. "Get down there and help out! This is an emergency!" Blank and Marcus ran towards the city with everyone else.  
"Baku," Cid interrupted, "I'm heading down as well. I find my oglop senses would be very useful in locating survivors. Could you set up some medical stations?"  
"Sure."  
***  
Eiko clambered out of the water. _Zidane, you're just lucky that I can swim_, she pouted not really caring that she had been saved because she was underwater when the city had been leveled. She looked around to see high walls of what had been the castle. She was stuck you. _Ooh, Zidane, you had better come find me, because I'm cold and wet and it's all your fault!_ Eiko sat down where she was and pouted.  
***  
Kuja groaned as he opened his eyes. He groaned louder as he shoved a large piece of debris off of himself. He tried to sit up, but when he did, his right hip and knee twisted unnaturally and he was forced back down with a hiss of pain. He raised his head to look at his leg. It was trapped under a huge piece of…the castle gate? Yes, it was a piece of the castle gate. It had flown out far past the gates of the city and was now crushing his leg just below the knee. He tried to pull away from it, but he was stuck. He lied back down, gasping in his pain. _I am going to die here._  
He opened his eyes only to close them again with a wince. He was unused to feelings of physical discomfort. _I'm dying…No. That's illogical, sure I may be stuck here for now, but once I get my strength back, I can break this rock and leave. Of course, if the Alexandrians find me…but they can't touch me. No, I'll be fine. …I'm going to die here. No, not here… if not here soon. Garland has found me out… Hmm, maybe he thinks I'm dead? I could hide… No, then I'll die here. I don't want to die… But…_ Approaching footsteps interrupted Kuja's only-less-than-hysterical train of thought. They stopped by his ear, and he heard the drawing of a sword. He opened his ice-blue eyes and squinted into the darkness.  
"I should have known," said a very familiar voice.  
"Beatrix?"  
"I—I should have known this is what you'd do. Liar."  
"Liar?" he groaned. "This isn't what you think…"  
"And what am I to think?" she snapped, on the verge of tears. "You said you had no interest in Alexandria! You said!" For the first time ever, Kuja felt guilty.  
"Please believe me…" Kuja closed his eyes. "I had no intention of destroying Alexandria… I merely needed the eidolon Alexander…" This was closer to the truth, but Kuja knew he was still lying.  
"I don't believe you! Why should I?!" she sobbed and brought her sword close to his head. Kuja said nothing for a moment.  
"I—I've failed," he sighed. Then he tilted his head back, exposing the soft, white skin of his throat. She forced her sword point to touch it, letting the tip draw the smallest spot of blood before she stopped.  
"Bastard…" she sobbed. Neither of them moved for a moment. Then…  
"Finish me, Beatrix," he whispered in that sad voice of his, "I'd much prefer you did." Beatrix was more than happy to comply. However, it was her heart that controlled her hand, not her head. After struggling with herself for a moment, then sheathed her sword. Kuja opened his eyes, looking surprised. She gazed into his eyes one last time, and read the faint flicker of hope there for the first time. _"Beatrix, I shall protect you." Steiner…_She didn't need Kuja and his games, even if she did still care for him. With this she could leave, and fortunately, her head still had control over her mouth.  
"No," she shook her head haughtily. "You don't deserve it. You can die here like the dog you are." She spun on her heel and marched into the darkness, relieved that he could not see the tears that spilled over her cheeks.  
Kuja watched her disappear into the darkness, and for the first time ever, he cried. Silent tears burned into the cold of his eyes before slipping away down the corner and onto his face. He did this for all of two minutes before stopping spontaneously. _I am no dog_.  
He sat upright despite the pain and got a grip under the gargantuan boulder that pinned him in his place. _I will not be defeated so easily_. He grunted, and pushed with all his strength, despite the massive protest in his knee. _I'll show you, Beatrix… Garland… _The boulder moved. _I am not to be taken lightly_. He changed his grip and began to heave, with all the might he had disguised in his slim Terran body. _I will not be defeated so easily. You cannot break me, for I will not die here._ The piece of rock began to be levered up. _You cannot defeat me like this, not here…not now…_ He shifted his grip again. He was sweating for the first time in so long that he could not remember. _Not ever_ . He pulled his leg free, and scrambled back as he let the boulder fall. _Garland, you cannot stop me!_ The boulder slammed against the ground, as if it were the seal on the statement, the gavel in the hand of the judge.  
***  
Cid picked up the vibrations of a ship landing in his oglop feet.  
"This way, Erin! gwok" he scrabbled along through the rubbish, his trusted pilot in tow, when they rounded one huge mess of what must have been the outer wall. And when he did, he saw…"The _Hilda Garde_?!"   
"Quiet, regent, look!" she ducked behind the wall as Kuja sat upright in the rubble. The regent moved closer, knowing that he wouldn't be seen.  
"Is the ship unharmed?" Kuja called over to a pair of pointy-hatted people who came out of the ship.  
"Yes, master Kuja," one answered, "It can fly."  
"Those are black mages!" Erin exclaimed to Cid.  
"I know…gwok they must have brought the ship here…" the Regent silenced himself as they watched Kuja struggle to his feet. The tall enemy finally stood, but upon taking a step forward fell the long way back to the ground. He hissed in pain as he caught himself with one hand. He attempted to stand again, but when he fell this time, he stayed on the ground. He slowly looked up.  
"You two, there," he addressed the black mages who stood by the ladder, apparently waiting for him. "Come…give me a hand." They both blinked.  
"Sir?" one of them ventured. Kuja squeezed his eyes shut in what looked like agony.  
"This is humiliating; do not make me repeat myself!" The two hastened over the rocks as fast as their clumsy legs could carry them. Together, they hoisted Kuja upright. "Gently," he admonished with a small sigh. His arms slung over both of their backs to support his bad leg, Kuja managed to get to the ship. He climbed, arms only, up the ladder, and once the two mages followed him up, the _Hilda Garde_ took off.  
***  
Garnet awoke with a groan. There was a massive weight on her back. She blinked her eyes open as something warm and wet fell on her face. She groaned again as she moved her hand out from under her head to wipe her cheek dry. She looked at the dark smudge on her hand and quite suddenly recognized the smell. Blood. She glanced over her shoulder and nearly screamed. Zidane was lying on her back, his head on her shoulder, and blood was dripping from his mouth. That meant he was bleeding internally.  
"Zid-zidane?" she questioned, but either he was unconscious or he was…she couldn't think about that. She pulled herself out from under him and pulled him out from the rubble. This time, she did scream. She gazed horrified at the shard of stained glass protruding from his back, soaking his white shirt in blood. "Oh, gods no!" she cried as she pulled gently at the glass. It slid smoothly out of his limp muscles, and proved not to be as deep as it first looked. And it was bleeding, meaning he was still alive. She sobbed pathetically as she drew him onto his back, leaning his head on her shoulder. She held his unconscious form to her, and rocked it gently, as if he were a baby. But it was she who was bawling.   
"Zidane, please don't die… You can't die! Not now, please! Heaven, Please!"  
"What's wrong, Dagger?" Eiko called, clambering over a piece of wall.  
"Eiko!" Garnet looked up happily. "Eiko, do you have any power left?"  
"No, Alexander used all of it… What happened to Zidane?!"  
"I don't know, but I think…I think he's dying…" Garnet burst into tears. Eiko frowned. Then she looked around. Huge piles of rocks surrounded them on all sides.  
"There's only one thing left to do then!" Eiko nodded.  
"What's that?" Garnet blinked. Eiko took in a deep breath, threw back her head and:  
"HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELP!!" Soon, Garnet chorused in.  
***  
Amarant wandered down the streets towards the castle. In one tremendous leap, he cleared the canal from one set of steps to the next. The moment he landed, he heard screaming. _Figures that I'd be the one to find Eiko_. He quickly located the source of the racket and scaled the half-demolished wall in a matter of seconds. The moment he appeared, both girls ceased their screaming.  
"Took you long enough," Eiko chided with her hands on her hips. _Man, I hate kids_. Amarant's eyes took in the tear-ridden queen for a moment before traveling down to observe the battered body in her arms.  
"What's wrong with him?" he nodded in Zidane's direction.  
"Well, let's see… he's bleeding, he's barely breathing, and he's not moving," Eiko said as Garnet started to cry again. Amarant rolled his eyes.  
"Let's get you two outta here," Amarant said, picking up Eiko with one hand and reaching for Garnet with the other.  
"Hey!"  
"Wait, what about Zidane?" Garnet asked urgently.  
"I'll come back for him." Garnet set Zidane down gently before climbing onto Amarant's back. The red-haired giant was over the huge pile of rocks in two leaps. Setting the girls down, he went back over the wall. He examined Zidane's wounds for a moment, shaking his head.  
"You've really done yourself in," he snorted, picking up the tailed boy. He was tiny and so light in his arms; Amarant wondered how he possibly could have lost to him. Being careful not to injure Zidane further, because that would most definitely upset the girls, Amarant came back over in three leaps, to find the two Tantalus losers on the ground waiting for him.  
"How is he?" Marcus asked."  
"Not good," Amarant replied. The patchwork redhead came forward and ran his fingers along Zidane's neck. As he did so, he breathed a long sigh of relief.  
"He'll be okay," Blank smiled at the girls. "Let's get him back to Lindblum so he can rest and get treated." Garnet and Eiko hugged each other and then followed the men towards the harbor.  
***  
"Zorn! Thorn!" Hilda called the pair. "Is Kuja back yet?"  
"Back is he!" Thorn answered.  
"But he wishes not to be disturbed," Zorn finished.  
"No, he made me wait long enough!" Hilda marched off in the direction of Kuja's chambers. Being in his custody was more than she had bargained on. The things he told her boggled her mind, and she finally had decided to simply accept everything he said. It would be the only way to ever understanding him. _Does he have that eidolon now? What did he do to get it?_ She would have to find out, because she feared the worst for Alexandria.  
***  
Kuja limped from his shower towards his bed. He sat down and dried his long tendrils of silver with a towel before dropping it on the floor. He then took the towel off his body, dried his tail with it, and sat down to inspect his leg. He had never seen such deep shades in his own skin. His entire knee was covered with dark blue and purple spots, some so dark that they seemed black. Even brushing it with his finger made it hurt. He cast a small cure spell into his knee, which eased the pain slightly. He sighed and picked up a small mirror from the bed stand. He tenderly fingered around his left eye, which also bore a nice purple mark along the length of it. His skin was paler than usual. He sighed and lied down, too exhausted to worry about thoroughly drying his hair or preening his feathers, and promptly fell asleep.  
Hilda knocked on the door. There was no response, but she opened the door anyway to find a very naked Kuja passed out on the bed. In a rush, she scrambled over and grabbed the blankets.  
"For heaven's sake, a little modesty at least!" she quipped, covering him up to the waist with the sheets. He grunted when the covers touched him, and he drew the waking-up-now breath before squinting up at her.  
"Go away…" he muttered. Then he blinked his eyes. "Hilda?" She folded her arms across her chest and cocked an eyebrow.  
"Well, you certainly have a fine heroine's chic going on here."  
"Oh, shut up," he groaned, and started to roll away from her, but thought better of it because of his tail. He slowly rolled back onto his back to hide it beneath himself. Hilda reached out a finger and ran it under his eye, making him wince. "And leave me alone," he added.  
"What happened to you?" she inquired. _You don't want to know…_Kuja thought. _Ha, I don't want to know._  
"…Garland."  
"What?" she was a little shocked. _Which was Garland…? Oh yes, his enemy… The one he needed an eidolon to defeat._ "Didn't you get the Alexander?"  
"No," Kuja moaned.  
"What happened to Alexander then?"  
"Garland." Hilda's breath caught in her throat. _No…does that mean?_  
"Then Alexandria was…?" He opened an eye at her and then closed it again.  
"Yes, leveled flat. And me with it."  
"Alexandria was destroyed?!"  
"Would you leave me alone now?" Hilda clenched and unclenched her fist a couple of times. In a sudden rage, she gabbed the letter opener from the table and held it to his throat. The cold metal would at least scare him.  
"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't destroy you now." His eyes remained closed, but he cocked an eyebrow.  
"Please Hilda, even if you could hurt me with that, you know that you wouldn't." True, she knew she wouldn't, but how did he know that?  
"Oh? What makes you so sure?" she prodded him with the dull blade. He smirked, just a tad.  
"You could never bring yourself so low as to strike a man when he's down." _How can you know so much about me while I understand very little about you? It's not fair._  
"Hmph, some man…"  
"Just leave me alone," Kuja rolled his eyes. Then he winced.  
"What hurts?" she asked, almost conversationally, while she placed the letter opener back where she had found it.  
"Everything, so go away," he muttered. She traced a finger down the center of his narrow chest to poke him at the base of his sternum.  
"Here?" He frowned and looked away.  
"…right leg," he finally muttered. She wipped away the blankets.  
"Whoa, hey! Don't look at _that_!" he interjected, although he was too tired to do anything else. She looked at him awhile before tossing the sheets back on him.  
"You really ought to put some ice on that."  
"Thanks for the tip…" he said dryly.  
"I'm surprised you have one." He glared at her as she coyly hid her smile behind her hand.  
"Hilda?" he pulled the sheets around himself. "I am very tired and in a sour mood and aching everywhere. Would it _kill_ you to let me be?"  
"Probably not."  
"Then for the gods' sakes, woman, _please _just go away!" he pulled the sheets over his head.  
"Well, for the 'please,' I guess I can comply." Hilda walked out, but before she closed the door, looked at him one more time. He was asleep again. Hilda hated the feelings of pity she had for Kuja, as she could only guess what had befallen her loved ones back on the mist continent. She hadn't a clue what motions had just been set.  
  
  
Hope you like it! Now I get to do some writing about , , ,camels. . . Any wonder that I' m in a bad mood?   
Review, please, so I know that I'm not writing to a wall or something...  



	16. A Transient Past...

Yei yei yei!!! Winter break! All my stupid exams are OVER!! I can write again! Aren't you happy people? Hehehe, and strap yourselves in, 'cause I intend to write a lot!!  
Eh, so much for 50 reviews in 15 chapters. Oh well, I've passed the Writing Requirement, so NOTHING can get me down now! n_n Enjoy!  
by the by, text in [brackets] is translated material, just so there's no confusion.  
  
  
*Kuja's Palace….  
_Thank heaven for Zidane_. Kuja would have never guessed he'd be feeling that way. He was feeling almost too afraid to go outside. His limp was almost gone now, thanks too his magic and superior Terran knowledge. _Ice to stop swelling and heat to make swelling go away, Hilda_. The thought of Hilda brought a small cringe to his mind. She knew a little too much to meet Zidane. She didn't know about him, but… Kuja shook his head and tried to lay out the situation. _Okay, Zidane survived… He's with the princess and a second summoner… The second summoner is carrying something… Hmm, that's right. Thank heaven for Zidane, because he will no doubt find me, and he'll bring that summoner with him. Oh yes… And when he gets here, he can get the Gulug stone for me while I get my eidolon… then I can get the Invincible link… and I therefore can still stop Garland. Not bad_.  
"There you are," said Hilda, rounding the corner. "Why did you make this place so impossible to pass through?" Kuja ignored her. He knew from experience that silence was the only thing that would control Hilda, because her curiosity would make her do whatever he asked, just so that he would tell her more.  
"I suppose that that was a foolish question." _Oh, yes_ . The two stared into the space of the palace for a while. _Hmm, what can I do with Hilda? Kill her? Crude, but that is the obvious solution. No, I can't... I, no I can't. Far too crude…hmm. Perhaps I could move her? Yes… it should be a couple of days before Zidane gets here… I could move her to Gulug and pick her up again later_.  
"Listen, I am sorry for offending you the other day."  
"What was that?" Kuja whipped his head around in sudden shock. _Hilda? Apologizing?_  
"I apologize for my rude behavior the other day," she turned her regal eyes on his. "It was childish of me."  
"Childish…?" Kuja blinked. _What on Gaia?_ "Hmph," he concluded, turning his eyes away.  
"Honestly, Kuja," she sidled close to him. "I am jealous, I suppose." _Oh, no… _She poked his arm with her finger. "I like your body." The clincher. _Typical. The primary tactic used by any woman who wants your secrets_, Kuja thought bitterly of Beatrix. He immediately stepped away from her.  
"Get your revenge on your husband from some other man," he all but sneered. He had been civil with Hilda, never threatening or forcing her, but that did not mean that he had any interest in the "advanced-yeared" woman. She withdrew, red-faced. Kuja thought that her pride would not let her press the matter further. Not wanting her to prove him wrong, he quickly changed the subject.  
"I'm expecting an attack on the palace relatively soon," he fixed his gaze on her nose to avoid eye contact. "I feel it prudent to temporarily move you to a safer place."  
"A safer…place?" she questioned.  
"Yes." She considered this for a moment, and determined that Kuja was not about to explain.  
"Agreed."  
  
*Oeilvert….  
Zidane ignored the stares from Amarant, Freya and Garnet. Or at least he made it seem like he thought it was only natural for him to be able to read these peculiar texts and comprehend this strange spoken tongue. It was actually quite natural. For a moment, he found himself thinking in this language. To add to this, he could work the strange objects that were lying around…and they responded only to him. He tried to make it seem like he was figuring out how to use them, speaking out loud, and trying to ignore the strange looks from his friends. There was no way he was going to admit that he had names for these machines. _Why?_ he kept wondering. _Why now? Why am I getting leads now?_ Zidane stopped to stare at the huge red circle…  
**(The circle is eternity: it has no beginning and no end.****  
****The circle is perfection: it is set on its center, unchanging, unmoving.****  
****The circle)****  
** … The words echoed in his head from where he knew not, because they certainly were not written anywhere. Zidane knelt down and pretended to study a piece of writing in the stone floor while he collected his thoughts. He knew why. _Kuja knows where I come from. He must. He knew that I'd be able to find the thing here… He knows of my birthplace_. The thought should have been exciting, but Zidane was not one ever to be fooled by his desires. And he knew Kuja's game. _He may not even need this "Gulug Stone." He knew just sending me here would spark my curiosity. It is what I want most, and he's making me see for myself that he has the answers. …he needs me for something then, to further his evil plans. It's his way; he feeds the desires of others to get them to do what he wants. Just like he used Brahne's greed, he wants to use mine…_ Here Zidane came to a resolution. No matter how badly he may have wanted this knowledge from Kuja, he would not do anything for Kuja, no matter what he promised him. _Hmm, try this on for size: The sly eagle does not surrender to his cravings. Eh, sounds nice, but Kuja's not going to give me the kind of line that would be a response to_.  
They came to the bottom and the object of their quest presented itself to them. There was the same language written on the pedestal. _Huh, "gurugunoishi" (or "small rock of Gulug") if that's not a little obvious_.  
"So this is what Kuja was harping about," Zidane said for the benefit of the others in case they hadn't already figured. _Now I can go save the others…Good thing too, 'cause I can't stand being here_ . "Time to head back…" He leapt nimbly onto the structure to capture the object, but the instant his fingers touched it, the voice of a harsh wind consumed him, and he was flung back over his friends, "Whoa!!" He landed on his feet behind them and glanced up in time to see the creature descend before them. It looked somewhat like a cross between a man and an airship. It hovered there, creating winds and dark energy as a warning aura. Amarant attacked it and was instantly forced backwards into the wall.  
"[Fools]," it spoke in a voice that sounded like groaning metal. "[The small rock is nothing to be trifled with.]" Zidane quite suddenly realized that none of his friends understood what it had said: only himself. They were shouting at it and again preparing to attack the "monster." _ We have no time for this…_ Throwing his caution to the winds the machine-man created, he stepped forward speaking this recalled language:  
"[But I need it]!" The creature stopped, and as did his friends. Fortunately, Zidane was quite used to having all eyes on him at once, and he did not waver. The creature landed.  
"[I am Ark, an immortal of the other world]," it said stiffly. "[What are you to address me?]"  
"[I am] Zidane Tribal," Zidane replied, smiling at the new tone his name carried in this language. It almost sounded like it meant something…  
"[What a joke]," Ark snorted a large rush of cold air. "[You call yourself demi-god to a complete extent]?" _What?! _Zidane jolted back in shock. Then... _What?! What on…Terra…?_ A flash of hot light suddenly engulfed him. Zidane shielded his eyes at first, but made no further move to stop Ark from probing him. His friends reacted differently.  
"Zidane?!" Freya screamed.  
"Look out," Amarant warned from behind him.  
"It's okay…" Zidane murmured back. The light dissipated and, for a moment, the world seemed to hang in suspense. Finally, Ark broke the silence.  
"[A highlander]?" the words were breathed in disbelief. "[Here]?"  
"[If that is what I am, yes]," Zidane ventured.  
"[You most definitely are]…" Ark sounded reflective now. "[I do believe that I have not encountered one for easily five thousand years]." Zidane found himself becoming increasingly perplexed.  
"[What's a highlander]?" Zidane tried, although he knew he needed to be quick.  
"[What you are]," Ark seemed to think it was a stupid question. "[What do you need the] gurugunoishi [for]?" Zidane sighed. _ Perhaps, truly, I am never to know_.  
"[It's a long story, but I need it to rescue my friends, and time is most definitely of the essence]!"  
"[You would challenge the darkest daemon then]?"  
"[You're a daemon]?"  
"[That is the purpose the Gaul tribe gave me countless years ago, at the erection of this Oeilvert. I have not been dismissed]."  
"[Sooo, you can't just let me have it]?" Ark's laughter swept the dust out of the area.  
"[Of course not. But your purpose, if it is as you said, seems righteous enough]."  
"[Enough]?"  
"[Oh, yes. I dare say that you can defeat me, highlander. I read your karma… Your destiny will defeat your design]—"   
"[What do you mean]?" Zidane cut in. He was feeling light-headed from the closeness of the answers that would not cross his path, no matter what detours he took.  
"[I am not to say. You are incredibly unique… so I cannot even pretend to know]."  
"[You don't know what you mean]?!" Zidane could barely keep his irritation from getting the best of him.  
"[You have no time for this, highlander. Prove to me your courage]." Zidane growled, and then attacked Ark. Wordlessly, his team joined him, and fought hard and fast against the stone's keeper. Finally, Ark fell to the ground in a heap. Zidane waved his friends off and stepped forward, his dual-bladed weapon poised for the kill.  
"[Release me from my duties, highlander]," Ark's voice was down to a breeze. "[I have served far too long]."  
"…[no answers then]?" Zidane tried one last time.  
"[I have none. Zidane, I wish to play a role… I will leave some of my material essence. Save it for your girl-friend]." Zidane hesitated one last second, but then struck off the daemon's head; and Ark disappeared, leaving, as promised, a broken piece of pumice. _So… he wished to be an eidolon? …what is… No. I will ask no more questions. I have a job to do_ . He turned to Garnet, and handed her the broken rock.  
"Dagger," he said quietly. "His name is Ark, and I believe he wishes to be of service." Garnet, of course, could say nothing, but she nodded.  
"What just happened?" Amarant demanded.  
"Zidane, how could you—" Freya began.  
"Don't ask," Zidane sighed. "Just…don't ask. We gotta get back to the others."  
  
*Kuja's Palace, meanwhile…  
"What do you mean they've escaped?!" Kuja screamed at the two midgets. They covered their heads in fear and shame. Not that he really cared, since they would quite easily get lost in the labyrinth that was his home and fall prey to the rag-tag bunches of monsters…but that was the thing. Should anything happen to that summoner… He glanced to one of his signals, and realized that the Hilda Garde had just returned. _Damn, Zidane get in here right away! Whatever you do, don't run into them…_ "Spare me your whining and just find the girl!" Zorn and Thorn did not need a second bidding…  
  
*Ipsen's Castle…  
The first thought that entered Amarant's mind when he hit the ground was: _Why didn't anyone warn me that there was a trap door?!_ Then he realized… _Pah, I've gone soft from running around with Zidane's little gang, that's all_. He tried to get up, but a searing pain in his ankle brought him back to the ground with a hiss of pain. Amarant reached for the part that hurt with his hand, but found that his back was hurt too. _Great, I can't move_. He froze in place as a trio of tonberries walked by. They glanced at him then walked on like a group of green salamander monks, ringing their bells as they slowly scooted along. He let out the breath that he had been holding and tried to move again. _Well, sure, the tonberries will leave me alone until I can escape, but the other monsters are not likely to be so kind_. He shuddered at the thought of a predator finding him like this. _What irony. I finally prove myself right, only to die…_he groaned.  
"Who's there?" a voiced called in the darkness. _I must be delirious; I thought I heard Zidane's voice_. It made sense, he had just proved Zidane that he was right, but now that he had befallen a misfortune Zidane's voice would haunt him… He groaned again as he tried to sit up, determined not to die now.  
"Who's there?" the voice repeated, much closer this time. Amarant looked up to see Zidane standing right there, his chest rising and falling heavily as if out of breath.  
"Zidane…?" Amarant addressed him, immediately suspicious. "Why did you come back?"  
"Amarant! What happened to you?" the boy came closer, his large blue eyes full of concern. Amarant couldn't accept this innocence.  
"Answer my question," he demanded despite himself, "I told you we might be enemies the next time we meet…" Not getting a response from the tailed boy, he tried being blunt. "Or did you come back to mock me?"  
"You say some strange things," Zidane answered after giving him a strange look. "The guys outside told me that you hadn't come out yet. That's why I came here looking for you." _Mocking me didn't even occur to you? What are you thinking?_  
"We don't have anything to do with each other anymore," Amarant decided that he _had_ to point this out. _The guy's an idiot, remember?_ "You don't have anything to gain from this." _Or maybe he's smarter than me?_ This situation was not allowing Amarant to be arrogant. "Or do you?" he asked. Zidane's response was beautiful. He blinked—twice. "I don't understand you," Amarant sighed. "I don't understand the way you think…"  
"Who cares what I have to gain?" Zidane finally asked after apparently considering Amarant's point. He then came out with a point of his own: "You need help right now." Had it not already been on his chest, Amarant's jaw would have dropped. _He doesn't care that I myself would readily kill him if it were worth my while? He doesn't care that it's therefore worth his while for me to die?_  
"You don't care…?" he asked, as if trying to confirm that he had heard properly. Zidane shrugged as if it were no big deal. _Unbelievable_ . "You're willing to put yourself at risk to save me?"  
"Come on," Zidane shifted uncomfortably. "We've helped each other many times since we joined forces. You're a part of the team. That's all that matters." _As if that's a decent explanation_. Zidane, seeming to sense Amarant's dissatisfaction, offered yet another enigma. "I don't know why I'm doing this, but I can't just walk away. It goes against my nature." _Your nature? It's natural for you to disregard logic? Or not even notice logic? How on Gaia are you still alive?_ Amarant decided to address the first part, since it made a little more sense.  
"And that's what being part of the team means…?" _This is almost ludicrous._  
"Isn't it?" Zidane smiled, although it was obvious that he thought this was ridiculous as well. He quickly proved this. "Come on, that's enough talk. Let's get outta here!" As the blonde helped him to his feet, the giant determined to keep following him. _Okay, Zidane. I am going to find out what is wrong with you even if it kills me.  
  
  
Dadadum...._ Anyhoooooo, I hope you like. Ima gonna go write some more, because frankly I have spent too much time on this fic and I wanna finish it so I can write a different one!! But don't worry! I will not cut this one short! Alrighty, you can review now. Ja.  
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	17. You're Not Alone

Oi, um, Merry Christmas... This chapter took me forever, but it's that very special part and I wanted to do it justice. There is one section in particular that you'll need this key for because I was in an extreme anime mood when I wrote it: 

Regular text: narrative, sort of  
_Italics_: Zidane  
Underlined: Garland's voice  
**Bold**: Anonymous voice  
_**Mixed forms**_: I think you'll recognize.

Well then, Enjoy! 

* * *

  
"_What's [a name]? It is not hand, nor foot, nor arm, nor face, nor any other part belonging to a man_." (from "Romeo and Juliet," by William Shakespeare) 

  
*Bran Bal…  
_ How can you reject them like this, Zidane? They're like you; can't you help them too? You always help everyone else…_  
"Vivi!" Eiko yelled at him, making him jump. "Where are the others?!"  
"At the inn, I think…" he said, adjusting his hat. "Why? What's wrong?"  
"It's Zidane…" 

*Pandemonium…  
Garland continued to talk in that patronizing briefing-a-lesser-life-form tone: "Well…now you should be fully aware of the meaning of your existence…" Zidane had come to the same conclusion he had started with, and he didn't feel that he needed to listen to this man any more. Garland jolted back, alarmed, as Zidane approached him.  
"Yeah," Zidane uttered softly. _I know the meaning of my existence_. "I'm aware…of all the laughter and all the tears I've shared with the people I grew up with on Gaia." Garland came out of his alarm and stepped down to stand over his second angel. The patronizing tone continued:  
"Forget all that. You are destined to live among the stars for all eternity. You have the power, the position, and the motive to do it." For a moment, only put this way, did the proposition seem inviting. He had never considered the stars that way before. **Your destiny will defeat your design** . _Because I always wanted to live under them, not among them—I know what I want_.  
"I wouldn't want that kind of power if I only had a place to call home," Zidane's voice remained soft and low, but strong with conviction. "My brothers in Tantalus, Vivi, Freya, Amarant, Quina, Steiner, Eiko, and…" _Dare I say most importantly?_ "Dagger…" Zidane's tone rose, "My home is with them in Gaia!" Garland seemed content to let him finish. Which was fine. "If you say I have a motive, then it's to punish all of you who brought pain to my friends!" Zidane saw…disappointment in Garland's eyes. It enraged him that the man was not taking him seriously. "I'll destroy Terra! That's reason enough for my birth here as a Genome!"  
"Regrettable," Garland sighed. "I thought your soul would be perfect for a new angel of death…" _Why do you continue to underrate me?_ Zidane assumed a more threatening pose.  
"I AM the new Angel of Death! Yours!!"  
"Do you not know what it means to meet your maker?" the patronizing voice, as before. The words sent a shiver down Zidane's spine. _Damn you_, he thought, realizing that he had no clue what Garland could do, but he was not going to turn back.  
"Shut up!" he was shouting now. "I've heard enough of your crap! I'm taking you out, right here, right now!"  
"Foolishness…" Garland sighed again with more disappointment.** The body becomes a vessel, which greets a new soul…** The words echoed through existence—a spell. _Existence, what was this?_ A searing pain ripped through Zidane's very mind. He could feel his consciousness…his _being_…being torn from him. His life flashed before his eyes… He clutched his head in panicked agony.  
"What's happening?!" he wailed as the ground loomed up at him: the last thing he would see. 

***

Garland checked Zidane's condition from where he stood, and was amazed to find that in his unconsciousness, Zidane's soul still clung desperately to his mind, refusing to release itself to make room for a replacement. _It behaves almost like… Almost exactly like…Have I created a…Terran…? a…body and soul together? Almost…_ For a moment, Garland almost resolved to leave his creation alone. _Of course, he needs this soul to create dyne…perhaps_. Garland knew he didn't understand dyne in the least. _Perhaps a new one would begin the seventeen-year growth period over again_.  
"He's too good to make into a regular Genome…" these words became a sigh as he remembered Zidane's resolve. _This soul is useless to me_. "But I have no choice." He reached his hand out to make contact with his second angel's head. The spell would be stronger this way.  


**The body becomes a vessel, which greets a new soul…**

The soul, cleaved to its memories, held fast to the body of the highlander genome. Angrily, Garland approached it with his being, and using all of his power, tried to remove it from the genome. When his soul touched this one, it cried out in terror. Its voice was Zidane's. Garland withdrew, alarmed. _How can that be?! All the Terran souls are asleep!_ He probed it again, and felt it begging him not to touch it…violate it. _This is not the soul I gave to you… I have never felt a soul like this…!!! Maybe Terrans can develop their own souls?! What if…? No, Kuja was race specific, but the soul that he has is the one I gave him… Or does the highlander tribe draw their souls from someplace other than Terra?_ Garland reached into Zidane's soul again fingering through its memories. It protested loudly, even reaching levels of telepathy:  
Stop! Please stop! Please don't rape my mind! it begged. No, it was Zidane who was begging. This soul was a person of some sort, not just a logbook residing in the mind of a genome. Thoughts and experiences, not logically organized, but still holding some sort of complex arrangement to themselves, trickled through Garland's senses. _ So…my work of perfection is not what I intended at all. You are an even grander defect than Kuja. I never intended to create a naturally sentient being. What are you to disturb my plans? Who are you to disrupt my mission? And what can I do with you?_ As he sifted through Zidane's memories for an answer, a memory surfaced in his own mind...  


***

  
It seemed all was going well, as the hushed collection of Terrans watched the two planet essences move to merge. The Gaul and highlander tribes seemed particularly tense, Garland noticed. This was probably because they were afraid of being proven wrong, he decided confidently. It was disturbing, however, to hear one highland female burying her face into the chest of the tribal leader whimpering:  
"I can hear the Gaian lives' screams of confusion…" Then it happened. For a nanosecond, the planets touched, and Gaia recoiled. Both planets immediately returned to their normal states, but in that infinitesimal amount of time, Terra had jolted in its rotation. As a result, the continental plates shifted and the surface was ripped apart. But when the mountains had settled into their new forms, Garland found himself alive. The sunlight filtered in through massive clouds of dust as a large piece of building was hoisted away by the body beside him. He looked up at his savior, who was busily coughing in the thick dust. He recognized him as Iiban, one of the Highlanders. The man hoisted him out of the debris, before collapsing next to him, where they both choked on the air-born dirt for a few minutes. Iiban drew his sleeve across his nose and once he began to breath normally, looked at his rescuee. Garland had done the same, and from behind the cloth:  
"Thank you…"  
"Hmph," the highlander responded, sitting up. "I wish I could have saved the _dog_ instead of you."  


***

  
_ Do you highlanders still have it in for me? Have I given birth to my own bane?_ His thoughts were interrupted when he came across a tidy package of memories that were blocked from Zidane's access, appearing to him only as a blue light. Garland, however, helped himself. _This explains a lot._ Suddenly, Garland knew how he might still be able to use Zidane. He violently swept Zidane's life collections away, sending them tumbling, jumbled and fragmented, into the corners of his mind. Then, he thrust forward the earliest memories: The training of the Genome. _See the truth for yourself_, he said as he left the mind of the Angel of Death.  
"Who are you?"  


***  
True memories are retained by the soul.

  
The memories must reconnect to the mind before  


* * *

  


Total blackness, the mind awakes…  
  


** Who are you?** Not who, but what… Do as I say. My mission. My will._ Garland's will is absolute_ . …a body without a mind, useless for anything, aside from another's will… **Who are you? **_Who am I? I don't know anything. I cannot think at all._ Angel of Death, do as I say. 

Recalls a figure, luminescent.

A reflection…an image… {A blonde boy with a tail?}  
This is me. You are not. **Zidane!**_Yeah, I was called that once_. _Many people called me that. _An illusion.  
A fragment… an accusation… {You're called Eiko: named girl}  
"You always have to show off, don't you?" she pouted and disappeared as readily as she appeared. _Yeah, maybe I do_. A point.  
A recollection… an insult… {You're called Steiner: named man}  
"Why, you worthless mendicant!" he shook an angry, accusing forefinger. _Yep… Sounds about right_. An agreement.  
A vision…a compliment… {You're called Freya: named woman}  
"How very becoming of you," a smile that vanished with her. _Becoming of me…_? Confusion…  
A reminiscence…an encouragement… {You're called Vivi: named boy}  
"I really learned a lot by traveling with you, Zidane," the voice, not the face, shared emotion. _Yeah, right. I have nothing to teach…_

Faster spin tales once forgotten...

A teaching…a student… {You're called Quina: named thing}  
"You teach me many things more important than tasty munchies," words around a pink tongue. _No! I don't know anything!_See the truth for yourself.

Retold.

A question…a remark… {Amarant: a given name}  
"You call that friendship?" he snorted. _Friendship… Friendship…?_ An importance…

Relived.

A treasure… a truth… {Dagger: a chosen name}  
"Zidane!" the call of a cherished one. **Who are you?**_ I don't know… who I am…_

Revealed.

The truth…?  
"You were always there for me, Zidane…" I tried. _I'm so… tired…_

Rejected?

...  
"How come you're always so…?" Unfinished. **_My will meant nothing to Garland!_**Do as I say. My WILL._I… I am…an…empty…vessel…_

"Zidane!" _ Who?_ You know who.  
"Wake up, Zidane!" _Who…?_ Yourself.  
"Come on, Zidane, wake up!"

**I am Zidane…not Garland.**  
**But once I was…**My Will… **am I still?**

* * *

anything can be resolved.

"Ow…" _It is my head that hurts… Just my head?_  
"Zidane!" Vivi's voice, and the other Eiko's.  
"Vivi… Eiko…" he opened his eyes and barely registered the visual conformation.  
"Thank goodness, you're alive!" Eiko continued. "We thought you were dead!" _Dead? Why not?_  
"Oh…" Zidane moaned as he recalled why he had left everyone, "I…"  
"We were so worried!" Vivi sobbed. "Why did you come here all by yourself?" _That's none of your business. You should be home, where you're safe._  
"What… are you doing here?"  
"Huh?" Vivi looked startled. "We came to save you, of course…" _Come to save me? What's to save?_  
"And it wasn't easy!" Eiko made this clear with a wide gesture. "You went off all alone!" _Alone? Sure. I'm something different: there is no place I belong…But…_ Zidane stood up and began to walk towards… _I will resolve this. Or I will die trying_. 

* * *

_ Because I care about you guys:  
I won't let you know the truth…__  
__Go on, insult me, yell at me, and degrade me… God knows I deserve it.__  
__It makes no difference…__  
__Just don't follow.__  
__This is my problem; I don't want you to get hurt…__  
__Because I… I care_

* * *

_ I will resolve this, or I will die trying._  
"Is this how you want to solve the problem?" Garnet asked, angry.  
"Dagger…" _…I care about you the most. I don't want to hurt you, but…_  
"You try to do everything by yourself, don't you?" _ Sometimes…yes, I do. But I have to. Someone's gonna get hurt. I'd prefer it to be me_.  
"Try to understand…" Zidane searched for the right words, not wanting to tell Dagger the truth about himself. _You can't forgive Kuja, and I'm just like him_. "I don't want to cause trouble to anyone."  
"Aren't we your friends?" she looked about ready to cry. Zidane felt like crying too.  
"I want to think so! That's why I always…(protected you)" _The truth is what is fair to everyone._ "Look, I'm not from Gaia. I was just a hairsbreadth from becoming the destroyer of Alexandria! I can't accept your friendship so easily!" She simply shook her head in exasperation.  
"You've always protected us," the tears formed in the corners of her eyes, "but you still don't understand that we looked out for you, too! We watched your back while you watched ours, and we believed in you the same way you believed in us! Just like you protected us… We want to protect you." _One reaps what one sows?_  
"Dagger…"  


  
Alone, bleak, forsaken himself…then  
"You're not alone"—feels he could fly.

  
* Below the Overlook, the fall of Neo-Kuja  
That which goes around, comes around…  
Falling… Even if Kuja would fulfill Garland's purpose for him, Zidane would still stop him. _I am the last hope of Terra…_ Do you think a defect like you could last forever?  
Falling… _So, I finally die. And after all this time, I have accomplished nothing. You too, my son. You too._ Even as I die, you'll have died without ever leaving your mark on the world...  
Falling… You are a mortal. _Yes, mortals us both. But Zidane? What is he? Will I ever know? Will I ever understand? _ Garland hit the ground with a sickening thud, his body armor breaking open, and the unholy mixture of man and machine spilling out. This armor had kept him alive to finish his purpose, but now… _The only thing that is finished is the planet. Shin La was probably correct: Our time was up. But what of the highlanders? What of Zidane? What will happen now? _Garland's soul could not pass until the end, so he lay useless in his shell. And he reflected on his own life:  
There were four survivors. Four left from all of Terra's billion: two highlanders, from the tribes Selto and Warasu; a Franc; and a Roma, Garland himself. Tekko, the Franc, was a scientist also, and the two began constructing plans for a second attempt to restore Terra. The other two, Iiban and Yassetta, had disagreed with them but stayed in the shelter with them. There, they revealed their own method for restoring the planet: Yassetta gave birth to a son in the first year. Several years passed, but it soon became clear that their fight against the barrenness was in vain. They were all soon to die.  
Tekko and Garland designed the shell, so that one of them might remain until the planet could be completely restored. The greatest step would be retrieving the Invincible, which, they agreed, would wait until after the death of the highlanders. Tekko died first, and was followed by Yassetta. Iiban, although in decline, seemed to hold on to life for the sake of his son. However, he was forced to rest often because of his poor health, and as a result, the boy spent most of his time amusing Garland.  
He was named "Tribal Iiban" supposedly after the Highlander dana, or god, Tribal, the patron spirit of Friendship, Fortune, and Adventure. He was six years old at the time of a certain memory…  


***

  
"What does all this mean?" Tribal asked, flipping through pages upon pages of studies on the planet Gaia.  
"Oh, that is to be the new Terra," Garland responded and went back to work.  
"What's wrong with this Terra?" the boy asked, doing some gymnastics to get closer to see what Garland was doing.  
"It cannot support life."  
"That's not true! See, I'm alive!" Tribal did a little dance. Not much longer, Garland thought.  
"For now, but see, I'm trying to restore life to all those people who died because of a mistake I made, which made the planet like this."  
"Oh… how are you gonna do that?"  
"By making Gaia the new Terra."  
"…that makes no sense," Tribal complained.  
"It's simple, really. I just need to take out the soul-stream of Gaia and replace it with that of Terra. Then Gaia is Terra. And the Terrans live once more."  
"…that still makes no sense."  
"Tribal, what does it take to make a person?" Garland chuckled as he tried to explain.  
"Well, momma and dad made me," Tribal started.  
"Now you have a body," Garland nodded. "Yes, a man and a woman together can create a body. But that body is empty and meaningless without the soul. That comes from the planet."  
"I come from the planet?" the boy looked incredulous.  
"Your soul does, yes."  
"Are you sure?"  
"Where else would it come from?" Garland looked annoyed. The boy furrowed his eyebrows.  
"Before I was born," he rolled his eyes up, as if he were recalling something. "I ran barefoot. Barefoot among the stars."  


***

  
_ What are you? Who are you, Zidane?_ His second angel of death had been based on the god, but the in the gaps the legends couldn't fill was the genes of this boy. _So playfully I named him "Demigod." Is he really?_ Bran Bal was burning down around him. _So fitting_ . Zidane had escaped. Mikoto too. So Garland focused on his first mistake. Kuja was having his vengeance on his own breath. He was punishing the world that had brought him forth to be its plaything—its punching bag. After a long moment, Garlan could sense a new type of energy: a very strong teleportation spell. Strong enough to take him to… _no, he wouldn't would he? He'd actually transport himself to the Crystal World?_ Garland's mind raced, because he would not put it past Kuja to… _I will not allow you to destroy all life. I will not. And I don't believe Zidane will either_. Garland knew there was one path that could breach the distance to the Crystal faster than Kuja's way. It would take all of his power, but _I am about to die anyway_ . Concentrating everything he had within him, he entered the Iifa tree one last time, and from there, found his way into the memory bank of the universe. 

  


* * *

Whew... I hope your head is not spinning too fast... . I hoped you liked! Have a Happy Holiday! And review so I can have a happy holiday too! n_n  
oh, and an extra special thanks to my little bro Joe who is an HTML wizard... I couldn't have gotten the super-important format right without him. 


	18. En Memorium

FRODO LIVES!!! But Legolas is still my favorite. n_n *starts singing about elves* Yes! Go see _The Fellowship of the Ring_! Best movie in history I tell you! Oh! Read and review first! :p  
  
  
  
  
*Black Mage Village…  
Mikoto watched the Invincible take off. _You fool_ , she thought bitterly of Zidane. _You are not even likely to find Kuja_ . There had been one species other than the Terrans that Garland had recreated: the Silver Dragons, the protectors of his work. Mikoto knew that upon the destruction of Bran Bal, every single last on of those dragons had probably retreated to the Gaia side of the Iifa tree. She doubted that even the _ Invincible_ could hold up against myriads of angry silver dragons. _You won't even reach the Iifa tree_. Mikoto was actually quite concerned about her "older brother." No one had spoken a kind word to her in her life… _"That's a nice name."_ And no one had ever smiled at her before. She wasn't even quite certain what smiling meant. _They need help, but who can help them?_ She suddenly recalled the conversation that she had overheard between the girl and the knight. _Cid, then, in Lindblum, must be alerted._ She turned and went off in search of "Mr. 288," the only one who would be able to tell her anything. It was quite interesting, she noted, that while all the other golems had eventually received new souls to go with their weak minds, Mr. 288 had apparently been inhabited by a wandering one, like the genomes were meant to. She wondered idly if her peers would eventually receive virgin souls or would they be inhabited by bodiless persons on this planet were souls flow. She approached Mr. 288.  
"Where is Lindblum, and what is the fastest way to get there?"  
  
  
*Memoria…  
"Dagger! I just saw a little girl on a ship and—" Zidane pointed to the vision, only to see that it was no longer there. "Huh? …I guess it was my imagination. Yeah, it had to be. What I just saw definitely isn't one of my memories." Garnet had been staring at the horrid recollection just as Zidane pointed it out to her. _What's going on? That was my memory. Why was Zidane able to see it?_ Quickly, she ran to catch up to him.  
"Zidane," she ventured, almost afraid of the answer.  
"Yeah, what's up?" he looked at her, curious.  
"…You didn't imagine anything," she gulped.  
"Wait," the light bulb went on, "you saw it too…?! That means that little girl was you?" Garnet only nodded. "But…why was I able to see something from your memory?"  
"I don't know…" she replied softly.  
"Hey, Garland!" Zidane shouted, suspecting another lesson. "What's going on?! …Garland, can you hear me?!"  
I feared Gaia's eidolons more than anything… Garland answered in this new "story-telling" tone, However, I decided to deal with them before they became a major problem. Zidane was about to ask what the relevance of that statement was, when Garnet suddenly grabbed his arm, uttering a small cry of alarm. Zidane looked up to see a huge red eye emerging through the clouds that formed the wall just ahead of them.  
"What is that thing…?" he asked, confused.  
"That eye…" she murmured in a trembling voice. "It's the same eye I saw on the night of the storm at sea." _Eye?_ Zidane wondered… _ Didn't they say something about an eye at the Iifa tree and at—_  
…Zidane, can you hear me? Garland interrupted his thoughts. And sounding as if he had grasped the true meaning of Zidane's question: Zidane, what you just saw was from your memory. Not Garnet's.  
"What?!" Zidane shouted. _Please don't let that mean…_ "I don't remember ever being in a storm at sea."  
You still don't understand… then a "sigh" of sorts, You will find out soon enough…  
"What do you mean?" Any explanation but that! "Can other people's memories become a part of my own? Garland!!!"  
Once you accept everything, the answer will appear before you, Garland answered before continuing on about history again. Zidane was only half listening, because he was currently beside himself. _No!…no… but everything points to that. The "eye" is not an eye to me, and has never been, because it has always been the main weapon of the  Invincible, which I myself operated. But how can I accept that I destroyed Madain Sari? How can I allow myself to believe that I killed Dagger's family?! The truth is what's fair to everyone…but— _Zidane jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He spun around to see Garnet, smiling sadly at him.  
"Dagger…" he sobbed. "I—"  
"I forgive you, Zidane," she smiled more. "And I still trust and believe in you. We still have our whole lives ahead of us, so we mustn't dwell on the past." _But we should still learn from it…_ Zidane smiled.  
"Thanks, Dagger," he bowed his head. "Really." _Living a life that tried to understand everyone, I've found someone that understands me_ .  


***

*the Crystal World…  


_ I think that I understand now. It's not about learning just from each other, it's about learning from everyone. And when we learn and understand, we share memories. And when everyone shares these memories, it is everyone who is moving forward in true understanding. Such is the manner in which society progresses towards the _truth.

  
  
  
*the Gate of Non-existence…  
Necron could have laughed, but he was too busy gathering energy against this pathetic group of lesser beings. Strong they may have been, but still hopelessly fighting against the now proven truth. He was definitely not prepared for what happened next. The dark haired girl stepped to the side, looking questioningly at the leader of the group. He nodded as he charged at Necron again. She clasped her hands around her weapon and bowed her head against it. Then he felt… the dark wind.   
[Good of you to come,] he sneered, as the presence of technology hovered above him.  
[What exactly do you think you are doing?] Ark asked, with an extremely arrogant tone in his metallic voice.  
[Life has discovered the truth,] Necron said patronizingly. [Garland may have summoned me for a purpose, but I had a greater one all along. Just as you did.]  
[Quite, and here I am.]  
[Why do you deny what has just occurred?] Necron growled. [At long last, my theory has been proven correct.]  
[Why,] Ark snickered, [do you fail to see the true results of that experiment? Here it stands in front of you.]  
[Kuja may have failed, but the truth is undeniable.]  
[Then why do they continue to fight you?]  
[They are deluded by fear.]  
[If they were fearful,] Ark set his target, [then why do they face their fears now?] Necron said nothing. [We are legends, Necron. We are the proof of their hopes and dreams…and their fears. There is a hierarchy there, for although we were created to have more power, we are less real.]  
[So you sell your soul to a human girl?]  
[I gave it to the spawn of the stars,] Ark corrected, as he brought forth his main weapon. [Now, let me show you true Eternal Darkness.]  
  
* Memoria…  
Kuja fell through time. From the dawn of existence he fell and on the way down he beheld all of history. Everything that had transpired in the solar system flew by and he eventually saw his own birth, his life, and—when he arrived at the present, he was still falling.  
He then fell through the branches of Iifa, hitting many of them on the way down, freeing bluish light from the ones he broke. But he paid for releasing the soul power. His body became broken as well. And when he finally came to a stop, after falling through the roots, he felt there wasn't much left. _Of course, there isn't anything left. I've lost everything. Pure and simple_, he sighed and released the Gaian souls from himself. They were immediately returned to the planet, which had been stripped of most of is life. The brilliant red of Kuja's trance faded into a dull silver and purple. For once, Kuja was quite satisfied that he did not have a mirror.  
_ Well, that's it. I'm finished_. He lay there, watching the roots of Iifa moan above him. He knew his fate now. He would lie, unwept for, watching the destruction above him, while he suffered the slow, painful death of each of his cells erupting, one by one. _Unwept, unsung, such is my fate… Did I really deserve it? …from birth I was…__"Selfish, egotistical, narcissistic runt!"__Selfish me? Why not? Who else ever thought of me? Egotistical, narcissistic me? Of course. If I didn't love myself, who would? Not Garland. Not Beatrix. Not…_**"we have a right to live."**_Zidane?_**"You don't care about anything."**_ …Zidane?_** "My friends had better be alright!"**_Zidane… _** "Damn you, you bastard!"**_Yes, I know._** "Kuja…"**_I know_ . **"Kuja?"**_I am the useless runt, not you._** "You never take me seriously."**_I'm…sorry._**"Why do you hate me?"**_ Because… I was jealous. _**"My will meant nothing to Garland."** Kuja cringed as he remembered his response. He felt…guilty. _You never hurt me until recently, Zidane…when I was hurting you more. Did you…care?_  
Suddenly, Kuja was consumed with the need to find Zidane. Was he all right? Was he alive? Were his friends all right? He weakly stretched his awareness back into Memoria. Zidane was not there. Frantically, Kuja felt everywhere until, he went back into Memoria and felt_…a portal within a portal?_ Zidane and company was there, fighting… _the spirit of the Iifa tree? Zidane… How do you do it Zidane? How can you just stand up to one opposition after another?_ Memoria began to buckle beneath his conscious. A portal within a portal was definitely not the right place to be when the first one was about to collapse. _Zidane…please accept my apology._ Using the last of his power, Kuja teleported his brother, Garnet, and then all the others to the relative safety of Gaia.   
Mikoto…  
  
  
*the Hilda Garde 3  
_ Zidane wouldn't make a promise he couldn't keep, right?_ Garnet continued to convince herself. Eiko came over and patted her arm.  
"He'll be okay!"  
"Yes, I know," Garnet smiled. "I believe in Zidane. I just… I fear it will be…" she started choking on tears. The entire group came to the stern of the ship to watch the raging Iifa tree slowly disappear from view. And each wondered if Zidane could survive…  
  
*Beneath the Iifa Tree…  
"No one's useless…" Zidane said softly. "You helped us escape, remember?" Kuja didn't say anything for a while. He simply couldn't take the kindness. _So, you shouldn't necessarily sow what you reap because you reap what you sow. It's my fault, because I didn't try to make a difference._  
"After you guys beat me," Kuja sighed, his voice barely a whisper, "I had nothing left…nothing more to lose. Then, I finally realized what it means to live…" He could feel his body giving out, and right now he felt so tired. "I guess I was to late." Kuja relaxed and closed his eyes.  
"Hey! Don't you go dying on me, alright?!" Zidane shouted. There was a groan and the live roots, the ones that held the Gaia soul stream, invaded their shelter. They had come to destroy the Terran souls, Kuja knew. The spirit of Iifa was gone, and now the two soul-streams were battling to the death. Then he felt a warmth fall over him—Zidane. Kuja opened his eyes. Zidane's were closed tightly, expecting the blow. And in a split second…  


***  
_ I don't want to die. No, not here, not now! I promised Dagger! And I'm young yet! No! I will not die now! What are you to decide that I die now? Who are you to take my life from me? I REFUSE to die now! STOP! **You cannot touch me! You cannot so, STOP!**_  
***

As Kuja gazed on in awe as multicolored lights, an aurora of words appeared around the two and, just as the roots approached, entwined themselves into an intricate pattern—an enclosed sphere. The roots slammed into this sphere and splintered with loud bangs. It was as if it were solid. Then… Zidane moaned something unintelligible. The pattern split open and traced itself down each of the roots, peeling them back as it went. Then, when there was some distance, a huge explosion, and the world was flooded by Gaian blue light.  
Zidane opened his eyes and looked around, panting heavily.  
"Zidane?" Kuja questioned, although he knew what was happening. Zidane was coming into his inheritance as a highlander. The pair looked up as the soul-stream claimed the new energy thirstily, and more roots came tearing through the roof. Quickly, the younger one grabbed his brother around the torso, and leaped out of the way, grabbing one of the roots. He held on as it tried to throw them, and leapt through a hole in the floor of the cavern as it tried to brush them off. Down they fell, towards the center of the planet itself. The faint blue-green glow intensified until Zidane reached out and caught the two of them on a ledge. After some struggling, he managed to hoist the larger genome to safety before clambering up himself. He sat awhile, catching his breath, until the completely terrified Kuja found his voice.  
"You are insane!" he accused. His younger brother simply chuckled.  
"For sure," he laughed and looked around. "The roots down here are quiet. Do you think the assimilation has been stopped?"  
"Delayed," Kuja frowned and closed his eyes. "The tree will not stop trying until it is destroyed."  
"Is there an easy way to destroy it?"  
"Not that I know of," Kuja relaxed against the ground. "I truly doubt that Garland would be careless like that."   
"Oh," Zidane sighed.  
"However," Kuja's expression softened, "what you did back there was truly amazing. Perhaps, if you are up to the challenge…" Zidane sighed again.  
"Maybe," he said with a half-hearted smile, "if I knew how I did that."  
"You don't—oh," Kuja stopped himself. _Of course he doesn't know…_ "Zidane?"  
"Yes?"  
"If you had the knowledge…and the power to defeat Iifa, would you?"  
"Of course."  
"No matter," Kuja whispered, more curious than anything else, "how long it might take or how hard it might be?" Zidane took a second before answering.  
"Come rain or come shine, as they say."  
"Are you aware that you already have both?"  
"…what?" Kuja groaned as he raised his hand.  
"If you trust me," he said weakly, "I can show you." Zidane looked at his outstretched hand, then at his face, then his tail, and back to the face…and finally:  
"Then show me."  
"Come closer," he commanded gently. Zidane complied and Kuja placed his hand on his brother's head. He entered Zidane's mind. The boy recoiled at first but then held still. Kuja gently sensed through Zidane's mind, being careful not to look at his memories… until he found what he was looking for: the first five years of Zidane's life, all neatly packaged away in a corner, shrouded in the blue light.   
This may hurt…just accept it. He then pulled away the curtain and retreated back to his own mind, exhausted. Zidane held his head in his hands for a few minutes, while Kuja watched. Suddenly, he opened his eyes and smiled.  
"It all makes sense now…" he murmured.  
"Happy Birthday, Zidane," Kuja smiled.  
"Thanks…" the boy-turning-man nearly laughed. "I can really use this."  
"Use it well, and…" Kuja coughed.  
"Yes?" Zidane questioned.  
"Zidane? …keep your promise to the queen. I would've given my right arm to have someone who understood me…"  
"You can keep your arm, brother," Zidane whispered. Kuja closed his eyes again, but smiled.  
"Zidane…" he sighed, then, "I have…amassed… great wealth…in Treno. I want you…to have it."  
"I have no need—"  
"You will," Kuja sighed. "It's all I can…offer you now, anyway…I am so…tired."  
"Me too." There was a brief silence.  
"Zidane…" Kuja choked weakly, as he felt his life ebbing away. "I must sleep…"  
"Me too," Zidane nodded, stroking loose strands from Kuja's face. "I have a rite to perform before I get started." Kuja didn't ask. It was a little late to start understanding dyne anyway.  
"Good…night."  
"Sleep well, my brother," Zidane whispered before curling up next to him and going to sleep himself. The two brothers slept silently beneath the dueling roots of one tree. Only one would ever awake.  
  
  
  
  
  
Finished? maybe.... maybe not. You, the reader decide! or maybe I will...   
  



	19. The Root of Change

Bleh... I _thought_ that I was on vacation. Well, I subbed for my mom at school, sort of an anniversary present so that she and my dad could take the day off for their 21st anniversary of marriage! Yeeeeeeeeeei!! But, cheeze, I do not want her job. Do the phones never stop ringing? Oh well. More random babbling. I wasn't writing because I was reading. _The Sword of Shannara_ by Terry Brooks to be exact. Gooooooood fantasy novel. Worth the read, trust me, although I was disappointed by the extreme lack of elf action. Ahyhow, no, I am not _quite_ finished with Between the Lines. A couple more ideas to share. Enjoy.  
  
  
  
_ The woods are lovely, dark and deep,  
But I have promises to keep  
And miles to go before I sleep,  
Miles to go before I sleep._  
(Robert Frost, "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening")  
  
  
*Lindblum, directly afterwards  
Everyone seemed considerably happy, aside from Eiko. As far as she was concerned, nothing was going for her. She had lost her trusted moogle, Zidane was gone, and now she would have to return to Madain Sari. Unknowingly, she had begun to cry.  
"What is wrong, Eiko dear," Hilda asked her suddenly. Startled, Eiko looked up at her and unwittingly blurted:  
"I don't wanna be alone anymore!!" Then she buried her face in her hands. Hilda quietly patted her shoulder.  
"Oh, I think we can arrange something…"  
  
  
*Alexandria, a week later  
Home at last. But Garnet prepared for her coronation with a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. She recalled the violent explosion at the Iifa tree, and the common belief that came with it. _"You have more important things to worry about…"_ She choked at the sound of his voice in her head.   
"Zidane…" she whispered softly. _"I know you can do it, Dagger!"_ She smiled softly at a thousand precious memories that flowed past her mind's eye. He had believed in her, every step of the way. There was no way that she was backing down now. That would not have been fair to him. She looked at her reflection in the mirror. Then she looked at her notes for her coronation speech. But the memories kept coming. _ "I'm sorry for being so selfish."_ She almost laughed at the recollection. Zidane didn't know how to be selfish. It was he who had taught her to think of others. It was for everyone else that she took this next step. But for herself, she would always believe in him.  
  
  
*Iifa, five months later  
Zidane hummed casually to himself as he scaled another wall. He was feeling refreshed by the water he had recently found. He wouldn't stray far from this new source as long as it lasted, for water was hard to find. And food was impossible to find, his stomach reminded him with a slight twinge. _Well, the food I'm used to, anyway._ To his pleasant surprise, he had found his Terran body could ingest and strip nutrients from things that were inedible to Gaians. Weeds and moss were the only food available, and he could make use of it. He reached the top of the wall and glanced around. The tree had been silent for some time, what with his constant destroying the live roots, but he still kept "Lucky" the dagger close at hand, even with the Ultima weapon strapped securely to his back.  
He caught his breath and continued his humming. He walked nimbly along the jut in the rocks towards some green leaves that had caught his eye. When he finally came upon it, his face fell. It was sleeping weed.  
"Go away," he shouted at it. "You're useless here!" He smiled at himself, talking to plants again. "Go…find Dagger," he commanded it, for his own amusement. "She can't sleep." He sat down next to the weed and stroked its brittle leaves with one finger. He had long ago left his gloves somewhere, preferring his bare hands for climbing the treacherous cliffs. He went barefoot these days as well. He finally removed one leaf and examined it, breaking it open to see the moisture inside. The flora was doing better around here, a good sign. Releasing the planet's soul-stream unto itself had let it recuperate, but there were thousands more roots to destroy if the planet was once again to function fully. With the help of his dyne, Zidane figured he might manage to finish within a year from today, whatever today was. But then, he'd have to figure out what to do with the dead roots. He sighed audibly and glanced around.  
Far off to the right, he saw the lip of what could be a cavern. He got up and sprinted over to it, sensing life within as he drew near. Curious, he brought up a light source in front of himself and sent it inside. He followed and glanced around. Large tangles of dead roots lay within, but he could feel life emanating from them. These were different from the other dead roots. _It's almost like Pandemonium… But am I not so far from it?_ Silently, Zidane approached one massive bark covered behemoth. He could feel the power and life within it. _Now what?_ He placed his hand on it. Free us! a voice echoed throughout his mind. Too long! We wait… No further! No more… Zidane fell back, shaking. The myriad of wailing voices desisted. He stood up trembling. Unsure of what was happening, he placed his hand on the root once more. The crowd of voices came once more, but he was ready.  
_Silence!_ he commanded with his own mind. The murmuring within quieted. What…no, who are you? He felt a presence push forward and connect directly to him.   
We await judgment. We were with millions more, and judgment takes a long time with so many…  
We were still waiting, added another, when time froze.  
Recently, yet another came forth, we felt time move again..  
Yet still we are trapped here! another shouted. Zidane's knees buckled under the force of the voices that entered his mind, but he kept his hand pressed to the bark.  
"Time…" he repeated softly. When you say time, do you mean the cycle of souls?  
Yes, Zidane recognized the first, although he felt many, many presences pushing forward to make contact with him.  
Then judgment? he persisted.  
Judgment, so that spirit is stripped from soul. One goes on to its merited afterlife, the other back to the planet, so that the planet may continue the cycle of life.  
And you are not judged? Zidane confirmed of the spirits within the root, for that's what they were. Spirit was the personality and memory that was adjoined to a sentient soul…  
We are trapped! and the wailing began again. Zidane tore his hand away, and lay panting on the ground. He closed his eyes and meditated on himself for a moment, to make sure that only he existed in his body. When he was confident that he was still himself, he stood up and regarded the soul cage, for that was also what it was. He was not certain what would happen when he freed them, but he definitely wasn't going to leave them there. He concentrated on the energy that held them, the energy of the root. It lit up as he prodded at it, and then trickled away at his command. The soul cage disintegrated, and its charges fled into the air. They were like ghosts, full beings of crimson light. Zidane watched as they fled up, away from the planet Gaia, unlike the blue light, which would go downward. When they had all left, Zidane fell to his knees, exhausted. He considered leaving the cavern, but couldn't muster the strength. Shortly afterwards, he passed out.  
  
  
*Black Mage Village, that very moment  
Mikoto sighed softly into the daylight that trickled through fresh green leaves. With all the new life everywhere, it was very apparent that Gaia was winning the battle of Iifa. She didn't know how to treat the truth. Since the triumph over Kuja and Necron, she had taken it upon herself to look after the other genomes. But… their purpose would never be fulfilled. Despite everything that Vivi and his black mage friends were attempting to teach them, and despite their insatiable curiosities, they were convinced only of their purpose to Terra.  
Mikoto understood the sentiment. Even now, she was unconvinced that she was doing the right thing. She alone held the incredible power to command the genomes, for to them, she was the voice of Garland. She truly knew that they would not move onto this new life that had been given them, until they were no longer themselves. Such was the life of the genome. Such was the life also as those called Black Mages. But the two were very different. The genomes were carefully designed to be exactly like the extinct Terrans, and they functioned completely like that once successful race, only without souls. The Black Mages were designed to be killing machines; they were useless for anything else. They could not even procreate, for they were asexual creatures.  
Mikoto sighed again. The truth was hard, and she felt somehow responsible not only for the creations of Garland, but also the creations of Kuja. She stared at the little cemetery that was quickly claiming more members from Kuja's little tribe. It wouldn't be long until there were no mages left, and what could she do with her own tribe then? She was totally unprepared for what happened next. Two Black Mages came running up the path, one tripping and falling on his face as they came.  
"Mikoto! Mikoto!" screamed the faster one, directly in her face.  
"Yes?" she nodded.  
"Something's wrong with little 555!" he finished. Mikoto almost laughed. "555" was one of her Gaulian males, in a young but fully mature stage. He had, like the others, rejected any name, but unlike the others, was most vehement about it. Nevertheless, 555 he had been dubbed.  
"What is wrong with him?" she asked, remembering that the information would not be volunteered without her asking for it.  
"He stared grabbing his head and then he fell down!" said the mage.  
"And he doesn't normally do that!" the other added.  
"No…he doesn't," she responded absently, wondering if… She ran back the way they had come. She walked through the crowd of genomes and pushed through the crowd of Black Mages to find the genome in question on his face in the ground. She regarded him there, noting that he was neither dead nor conscious. While she stood there, a younger female genome standing nearby also fell down. Mikoto jolted in her direction, but stopped when another repeated the movement in the crowd. And another… She turned back to the one-called 555. He had stirred with a gentle groan. She knelt at his side as he apparently investigated his hands.  
"Are you all right, 555?" the first mage asked. The genome jolted at the sound, looking up with an expression of fearful wonder. Slowly he sat up and looked at Mikoto.  
"I can…trust you?" he asked slowly. She nodded.  
"555, are you alright?" another mage asked. The genome frowned suddenly.  
"Do not call me that," he practically scolded. Mikoto smiled absently, but then… "My name is Butsu Garufu." Mikoto started.  
"Is it…really?"  
"Yes," he nodded once. "Have you heard of me, miss?" Mikoto got up quickly, surprise etched into her normally impassive features. _Is it…the assimilation?_ She shook her head in disbelief. She would get to the bottom of this. She strode past the baffled black mages and the awakening genomes.  
"Where is Bobby Corwen?"  


***

  
Mikoto jumped off the chocobo at the base of the Iifa Tree. She ran to the edge and looked up. The leaves of the giant tree were shedding a glorious crimson light. The light was being released into a portal through space, the true link of Iifa. Terra was reclaiming its soul-stream; there would be no assimilation. Many of the dead roots were crumbling, but the live ones remained. The Iifa tree was not yet defeated… but did that mean someone was fighting it?  
"Zidane!" Mikoto screamed out across the crater of the tree, the urgent cry echoing throughout the crevice. It died out. "ZIDANE!!!" she shouted as powerfully as she could muster, crying out for the one who had shown her kindness. But there was no answer, no stirrings from within the bowls of Gaia. Mikoto slumped to her knees as she watched the silent procession of soul light to the planet that she had been born for. Now, she had a herculean duty to perform to that planet's people.  
  
  
*Black Mage Village, four months after that  
Vivi walked back to his home in the village slowly. He had just returned from New Bran Bal, the nearby village of the neo-Terrans. The reborn Terran people had come together and began building a new home in an awe-inspiring example of teamwork. Watching them work together under their Governess Mikoto reminded Vivi of the days he had spent traveling to defend the world. He opened his door and waddled over to his easy chair, where he sat down with a contented sigh. He had not thought of his travels in a while, but now he forced himself to remember every detail. How many other people wanted so much to do what he had? He considered himself lucky. It wasn't that people wanted to see new places, it was more that people wanted to do something worthwhile. The Terrans did that now.  
He then thought briefly of Mikoto's concern for his own people. They would not reproduce. The black mages as a people would not succeed. Perhaps that didn't matter. If the Black Mages could fulfill their ambitions in life without making any more Black Mages, who was one to judge? It wasn't as if they could raise families in the same way the other races did. However, Vivi knew they could raise children in the same love. In fact, he somewhat wished that he could. He would look into a way, he decided. But now… Vivi would have to plan to visit his friends one last time.   
  
  
  
  
Well then... You may expect one more chapter. When? Only time will tell...  



	20. Renascence

Honest, this time people! This is indeed the last installment of "Between the Lines." About time, ne? I hope you liked it. And even if you didn't, please review! @.@  
~Enjoy!  
  
  
_Ah! Up then from the ground sprang I  
And hailed the earth with such a cry  
As is not heard save from a man  
Who has been dead, and lives again._  
(from _Renascence_ , by Edna St. Vincent Millay)  
  
  
*the Black Mage Village, three months later  
Vivi sighed in his bed. He had been extremely tired as of late; he knew his time was almost up. He listened to the playful laughter outside and felt …nostalgia? He wasn't sure. Emotions were harder to place these days. It had been two months past that he had returned from his last visit to the Mist Continent. His last stop had been in Dali, where he paid a visit to the old machine that had begun his personal quest for himself long ago. And with his own magic and essence of himself, instead of black magic and mist, he had created eight copies of himself. It had been last month that they all had hatched and gained souls. One month, he had been a father.  
But now… Vivi shook his head. He had no regrets. No, he did have one, he realized. He would not get a chance to say goodbye to his oldest and dearest friend, Zidane. Zidane: the man whom some of the genomes thought may still be alive. Vivi did not think Zidane was alive. No, he _ knew._ That's what he had told Dagger. It made her smile. She didn't smile very much anymore. _But she will,_ Vivi concluded.  
Slowly, he got out of bed and made his way over to the desk. There, he sat down and got out paper and ink. And he began to write:  
  
_"I always thought about you, Zidane…"_  
  


***

  
Vivi Ornitier breathed his last a week later. He was mourned and remembered by all of Gaia.  
  
  
*Iifa, six months later  
Zidane blinked continuously as he continued to ascend. He hadn't remembered the sun ever being that bright. He glanced back at the shriveled trunk of the Iifa tree, wondering amusedly to himself if he should fetch a fortune on firewood. Finally, Zidane pulled himself from the shadows and stood upon the outskirts of Iifa, where he had last seen his beloved Dagger more than a year and a half before now.  
He stood completely blinded for several minutes, breathing in the fresh air from the wind that ripped through the dark ruddy tangles that trailed down his back. He wore only the remains of his pants and the sheaths for his two weapons in the brilliant warmth of the sun, a mistake, he knew, for having not been exposed to its rays for a long time. His frame was impossibly slight, revealing his bones, and his skin was as pale as the moon. _Like Kuja's ,_ he murmured to himself as his eyes finally focused on his hand. He turned and looked defiantly up at the decaying form of his giant nemesis.  
"_Adieu,_ you old weed!" he waved and, sticking out his tongue one last time, turned and began to march towards the mountains. March? No, he skipped, frolicked, cavorted, gamboled, and even back-flipped in the open fields until he collapsed for lack of breath. And once he caught it, he lied in the grass and laughed into the sky. Finally, he calmed down and watched light wisps of clouds change their shapes.  
"You idiot," he reprimanded himself. "Now your wasted for the day. How much longer do you really want to have to wait?" He sat up and stared at the looming peaks up ahead. If he pushed himself, he might manage to make it to Conde Petie shortly after nightfall… He quickly resumed his feet and began to walk, more conservatively this time, towards the Conde Petie Mountain Pass. The thought of any bed, even a dwarf-sized one, was almost too much to think about. _Dagger, Dagger, Dagger…_ he chanted in his head until he finally reached the pass, which was only a shadow of its former self. The roots that had held it together were gone.  
"Thanks to me!" Zidane listened to the echoes of his words against the rocks before laughing appreciatively at the irony. Climbing was no problem for the highlander genome. He took a quick drink from the river before beginning his second ascent. However, this was done in the heat of the day, and the exposure began to quickly take its toll. As he drew closer to the sun, he could feel his skin burning and cracking. His throat and lips began to parch, and several times, he nearly lost his grip from dizzy spells. _Lovely, I'm dehydrating._ However, Zidane pushed on, and in the pink light of the setting sun, he pulled himself onto a plateau. He fell to his knees in the shade and sat trembling for a spell. Running his fingers through the dead blonde tendrils that were plastered to his head by sweat, he stared off in the direction of the dwarf village, wondering if he could get that far. His wondering ceased when he passed out.  


***

  
Zidane awoke with a groan and a serious headache. He opened his eyes briefly before closing them in pain. Vaguely, he began to assess his situation. It felt cool, but also warm below his face, and his back no longer felt burned; it actually felt rather comfortable… Zidane realized with a start that he was in a bed. He sat up with a jolt and opened his eyes, despite the dizziness this caused. He looked his fill into the room around him. The bed was large and comfortable, the desk looked used but tidy, there was a chair in the corner, and the floor was…_carpeted?_ _Where on Gaia do you find a carpeted floor?_ It was about midday, he decided, looking at the curtains drawn against the sunlight. He looked towards the door that was slightly ajar with light from the next room filtering through. Zidane was considering getting up and investigating when he also realized that he was buck naked. _Eh, that won't do…aw man, who undressed me?!_  
"[I think he's awake]," came a mellow feminine voice from the hall. It wasn't Garnet's voice by far, but it was still soothing to a man who had not seen a woman for more than a year. He quickly drew the sheets around his scrawny form as the door opened fully. In the doorway stood a woman, possibly in her late twenties, clad in a lavender two-piece. Her silvery blonde hair fell loose past her shoulders and her eyes were the strongest blue Zidane had ever seen, but what took his attention immediately was the tail that twitched lazily at her ankles.  
"Headache?" she questioned with a smile, interrupting his ogling. He suddenly blushed when he realized he'd been staring, staring at the woman who had been taking care of him. He nodded in response. "I thought so." She brought forth a pitcher of water and sat down next to him. "Drink," she commanded, but instead of handing the water to him, she held his head in one hand and in the other, offered the vessel to his lips. _ As if I can't do it myself,_ he thought, perplexed. However he was extremely thirsty, and the liquid worked like magic on his headache. Finally, he managed to communicate that he had had enough, and she took the pitcher away. He slumped against the pillows and sighed softly. Daintily, his hostess placed the back of her hand against his temple.  
"Look at me," she told him. He fixed his cerulean gaze on her laser azure eyes. She smiled again. "They focus? I do believe you are all right now."  
"I've been better," he assured her. She laughed lightly in response. "Um, where am I?"  
"You are in New Bran Bal, my friend," she told him, with a hint of pride. _New Bran Bal? Whoa… how long have I been gone anyway? She certainly isn't acting like a genome…_  
"What happened to the Black Mage Village?" he asked, not caring if he sounded stupid.  
"It is nearby, but its inhabitants are fewer and fewer, especially since Master Vivi passed on," she offered, figuring he had not been here in a while.  
"What?!" he jolted suddenly. "Vivi's…dead?" She looked at him oddly.  
"It came as a shock to no one…" she stopped when she saw him slump down, a torn expression on his face. He sniffed back a couple of tears when he saw her staring at him.  
"I-I'm sorry… He was a…a dear friend," Zidane explained. She patted his shoulder comfortingly, although her expression was full of questions.  
"My husband works for the patrol force," she sat back as she explained. "He found you unconscious on the mountain path at Conde Petie. You…looked like one of us, so he took you back to the station. But no one there could place you, so he brought you here to recover."  
"All that to ask me who I am?" Zidane cracked a small smile.  
"I figured you'd want to know anyway…" she replied but then was interrupted:  
"[Aruwan, is he all right?]" a blonde male asked at the doorway.  
"[He is well]," she answered with a smile and a beckoning hand. The man came over to stand next to her.  
"[I could argue that point]," he said with a cocked eyebrow. Zidane looked down at his own ribs.  
"I guess I'm not much to look at, huh?" he asked, coyly.  
"Don't worry," Aruwan's husband smiled. "We can get you help. Where do you come from?"  
"Originally or just now?" Zidane laughed.  
"Both," Aruwan laughed as well.  
"I was born in the original Bran Bal on Terra," Zidane explicated. "I grew up in Lindblum. I am traveling there from Iifa now. My name is Zidane Tribal." The pair stared at him with slack jaws for a moment. "Um, you wouldn't happen to be able to take me to see Mikoto, would you?"  


***

  
Zidane didn't admit that even just walking to the construction site wore on him, but the pep of yesterday _had_ merely been excitement, nothing more. _Such are the affects of starvation,_ he thought, annoyed. Her ladyship, Governess Mikoto was quite easy to pick out once they arrived. She was the only one not making arm motions when she spoke. She had her back to them as they arrived.  
"My lady?" asked Aruwan's husband. Mikoto turned around and froze. Zidane scratched his head embarrassed as everyone looked on.  
"Hey, Mikoto," he grinned. "It's been a while."  
"Zidane?" her voice was barely a whisper as she stumbled forward, her eyes never leaving his face.  
"The one and only—" he fell hard on the ground as she tackled him. The onlookers suddenly looked rather alarmed. "Er…" She stood up just as suddenly and she had leapt, pulling him to his feet.  
"I am sorry, Zidane," she dusted him off. "I do not know what came over me." Slowly, Zidane began laugh aloud, and was soon joined by the surrounding Terrans. This time, Mikoto simply watched. Then the two went off to talk… and finally, Zidane got a chance to ask:  
"Can you tell me anything about Dag—er, Garnet?"  
"Other than that she is both a beloved queen and single?" Mikoto asked knowingly. "She misses you immensely, Zidane. Some wonder how she manages to get through the days. But, she says she just takes it a day at a time. She lets her busy schedule consume her, and some are concerned for her health…" Mikoto stopped here and looked at Zidane sharply. "As I am concerned for yours."  
"I'm—" he started.  
"Fine?" Mikoto actually cocked an eyebrow. Zidane nodded and smiled half-heartedly. He wanted to get to Alexandria now, but Mikoto was suggesting that he wait. And even he had to admit: the traveling would most likely get the better of him.  
"…you're right, for once," Zidane jabbed at her ribs. "How long do you think it will take?"  
"I am no doctor, so my estimations are likely useless."  
"…right."  
"Do not despair," Mikoto's voice was monotone, but the meaning was there. "She has waited out a year and a half. The strength you have given her is surely enough to help her through a few months more." Zidane looked at his younger sister in surprise. What she said next surprised him even more. "Besides, you need to see this city. None of this would have been possible without your work, Zidane. The people of Terra owe their second chance to you alone." Zidane thought about this for a moment, until he understood what she meant. He smiled at her, although this brought no response.  
"Yeah. It would be nice to get to know the people I'm supposed to be like, right?"  
"I do not doubt that." Zidane looked off into the distant mountains, now green from his long toiling, and circled around until he saw the beginnings of the city of New Bran Bal. He then realized that he and his beloved Dagger had much more in common than they had even begun to understand. Smiling to himself, he took his dagger from its sheath, and walked out over the plains of rebirth, to a small spot where some native Terran plant sprouts were working through the Gaian soil. He took the half of his hair, for it was split at its natural part, held it even with his head, and sliced off much of its length. After repeating this on the other side, he dropped the ruddy tresses into the wind, where the scattered until they landed amongst the Terran foliage. He turned to Mikoto, his hair now the same length as when she had first saw him.  
"Maybe my duties here are done. Then maybe not. But this one is finished."  
"The next?" she asked, unsure of what was going on.  
"Let's finish getting _me_ back. I don't want to greet Dagger with only my shadow!"  
  
  
*Alexandria, about the same time  
How Garnet loathed holidays. The parades and ceremonies were fine, but the festivities brought only longing. She was Queen Garnet til Alexandros the 17th, and was expected to have an heir. The sons of the nobles all wished, of course, to father her heirs, and all wished to spend the holidays at her side, in hopes of wining her heart. But every wooing word only reminded her of the man who was not present.  
"Your highness?" came Beatrix's voice from the doorway.  
"Lord Henry the 13th?" Garnet asked without turning around. "I am too busy to see him."  
"Your instincts are truly amazing, but then mine are not too dilapidated. I've already told him such."  
"Thank you."  
"Do you intend to sit inside all day, then?" Beatrix came closer.  
"I do not know yet," Garnet replied, her chocolate brown eyes gazing at the floor. Beatrix stood by for a moment before speaking again. She really wished for the queen to move on and be happy again.  
"Is there something offensive about your suitors?" she asked, trying a different angle.  
"No, no," Garnet answered with a small shake of her head. "They are very polite. Too polite…" She sighed and looked off at the birds in the windowsill. "So formal are their courting that they all sound the same…that they have no personalities." Beatrix sighed again. _Of course everyone else would seem boring when compared to that wild, tailed boy._ Beatrix looked at Garnet, whose eyes were full of longing. It was… heartbreaking.  
"It was both first and true love, that you cannot get past him, your Highness," Beatrix speculated, placing a comforting hand on her queen's shoulder. "It grieves me to know what has happened…"  
"Vivi believed him still alive," Garnet said with a false smile.  
"Do you, your Highness?"  
"In my reasoning," Garnet answered as a single tear trailed down her delicately pink cheek, "…no, I do not. But…" another tear, "my heart is not yet ready to abandon him." They sat in silence for a while, before Beatrix decided that it had to be said:  
"Your Majesty, your eighteenth birthday approaches," she spoke carefully. "It will not remain a simple matter to—"  
"Play hard to get?" Garnet smiled fully at Beatrix's shocked expression of her choice of words. "I understand, Beatrix. I understand my duties, your concerns, and the concerns of my people. I only ask you to bear that in mind for the next few months. I only need… some more time."  
  
  
*Lindblum, three months later  
A lone figure entered a pub in the newly rebuilt Industrial District. The interior of the place was bustling with busy people, so he entered unnoticed. Arguing quite loudly in the back was a group of mismatched men.  
"Huh, I was just realizing that, we ain't done nothing sketchy since that time two years ago!" Marcus complained.  
"Naw, honey, but we done plenty of sketches!" Ruby joked. This brought assembled laughter to the group, including a thunderous "Gwahaha!"  
"It's true, boss," Blank finally repressed his laughter. "You finally have your 'distinguished' acting troupe."  
"And all because of that one guy…" Cinna added.  
"All right," Baku sighed. "Y'all're in on somethin' I don't get. Where'd all this talk come from?"  
"It's the reason we can't perform "The Eidolon and I" in Treno at the festival," Marcus slapped his head in disgust of the immense density that is Baku.  
"You know very well why our version was a hit," Blank continued, knowing the extra hinting was required.  
"What? You need some one to play Philippe?" a voice said from off the table. They all turned and stared. "That role was acclaimed as my finest performance by _all_ of the critics." A moment of silence ensued, followed by:  
"Zidane!" Blank nearly shrieked as he flung himself from his chair to embrace his long lost friend in a bear hug.  
"Whoa, momma!" Zidane joked as the others joined in for their own greetings. They backed away from him as the largest figure grunted. Zidane looked up at Baku and quirked an eyebrow.  
"Sorry, Dad, but I haven't come back the prodigal asking for forgiveness," he grinned. "I'm just passing through."  
"But—you just got here!" Blank and Marcus said in unison, each waving their arms frantically.  
"Yeah, I know," Zidane shrugged. "I thought I'd say hi to you all before I leave for Alexandria."  
"And that Dagger chick?" Blank elbowed him indiscreetly.  
"Zidane, suga'," Ruby poked him, "we all be going to Alexandria in three weeks, pa'formin' "I Wanna Be Your Canary" for the Queen's Eighteenth birthday!"  
"Is that so?" Zidane got a slightly conniving look in his eye.  
"Huh," Baku shrugged. "I guess, for you, I'll invite ya along." Zidane only smiled.  
  
  
*At this time,   
I will ask you to go take your "Final Fantasy IX" fourth disc, put it in the PlayStation, and watch the ending. Nothing I write here could be more perfect than that.  
  
  
  
  
Coming Soon:  
Something else!!! yeeeeeeeeei. I warm and exceedingly long thank you to all my dedicated readers! You are the reason this is posted. Yes, YOU!!! er, no duh. Ack, dammit, just review, and I'll be happy! n_n 


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